House of Representatives passes bill to create state police in Nigeria

The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a constitutional amendment bill to establish state police across all 36 states. The reform aims to decentralise policing, improve security response, and address rising insecurity such as banditry, kidnappings, and terrorism. The proposal still requires further approval before becoming law.

The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a constitutional amendment bill aimed at creating state police across the country, marking a major step toward restructuring the nation’s security architecture.
The bill was approved on Thursday during a plenary session as part of ongoing amendments to the 1999 Constitution. Lawmakers reached the decision after months of consultations involving the Presidency, the National Assembly, security agencies, and other key stakeholders.
If fully adopted, the amendment will allow all 36 states to establish and operate their own police forces, working alongside the federal police under a shared security framework. This represents a significant shift from Nigeria’s long-standing system of centralized policing under the federal government.
The push for state policing has grown stronger in recent years due to rising insecurity across Nigeria, including frequent bandit attacks in the northwest, widespread kidnappings for ransom, farmer–herder clashes in the northcentral region, and ongoing terrorism in the northeast.
Lawmakers who support the reform argue that decentralising policing will improve efficiency and security outcomes. They say locally controlled police units would be better positioned to understand community dynamics, respond more quickly to threats, and strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots level.
The debate over state police has become even more urgent following a series of deadly attacks in several parts of the country. Security concerns have continued to dominate national discussions, as criminal groups expand their operations beyond traditional hotspots, affecting more communities nationwide.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has repeatedly described insecurity as one of the country’s most pressing challenges. In response, the government declared a nationwide security emergency in November and called for sweeping reforms, including stronger support for state-level policing. The President has also ordered the recruitment of additional security personnel to reinforce national security operations.
Supporters of the bill—including several state governors, traditional rulers, and security experts—have described state police as a necessary reform for a large and diverse federation like Nigeria. They argue that a decentralised system would ease pressure on the overstretched Nigeria Police Force and allow for more effective handling of localised security threats.
The bill is now expected to move through further legislative stages, including consideration by the Senate and eventual ratification by state assemblies before it can become law.