By Mary Onyia
Nigeria’s 36 state governors have renewed their call for the urgent establishment of state police, insisting that the proposed security architecture must be firmly rooted in the Constitution, federalism, and the protection of citizens’ rights. The governors, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), reached the position at their meeting in Abuja after reviewing ongoing consultations on constitutional amendments designed to create state-controlled police formations.
In a communiqué issued by NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governors disclosed that they received a presentation from the Forum’s Secretariat and state Attorneys-General on efforts to actualise state policing. “Governors emphasised the need for State Police to be constitutionally sound and aligned with federalism and citizens’ rights,” the communiqué stated, adding that consultations with Attorneys-General would help strengthen the states’ collective position on the reform.
The renewed push comes barely a week after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, with 289 of the 290 lawmakers present voting in support. The Senate also passed the bill for second reading on the same day, signalling growing national consensus on the need to overhaul Nigeria’s security framework amid worsening insecurity across many parts of the country.
Under the proposed amendments, Nigeria would operate two distinct policing systems — a Federal Police and a State Police in each state. State police formations would be established through state laws and certified to meet nationally prescribed standards before commencing operations. While governors would have authority over their state police commissioners, federal authorities would retain responsibility for national security and could intervene only under clearly defined circumstances, including a breakdown of law and order or at the request of a state governor.
Supporters of the proposal argue that state police would bring security closer to the people, improve intelligence gathering, enhance rapid response to local threats, and enable communities to participate more effectively in crime prevention. For ordinary Nigerians, proponents say the reform could translate into quicker responses to kidnappings, bandit attacks, communal clashes, and other security challenges that often overwhelm centrally controlled policing structures.
However, concerns remain over possible abuse by state governments, political interference, funding challenges, ethnic bias, and the risk of governors using state police against political opponents. To address these fears, the proposed amendments provide for oversight by a restructured National Police Council, State Police Service Commissions, national policing standards, legislative scrutiny, and constitutional safeguards against unlawful interference.
The agitation for state police has gained momentum in recent years following persistent complaints that Nigeria’s highly centralised policing system is overstretched and unable to effectively tackle rising cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, cult violence, and other crimes across the federation. If eventually adopted, the reform would represent one of the most far-reaching changes to Nigeria’s security architecture since independence, with direct implications for the safety and daily lives of millions of citizens.