- Govs, lawmakers, others laud Tinubu
- It’ll protect persecuted Nigerian Christians – US lawmaker
- Poor funding, political interference may mar scheme — Ex-CP
The recent passage of a state police bill by the National Assembly has received commendations and criticisms from different quarters, including the United States.
On Wednesday Nigeria moved closer to establishing a state police force after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to decentralise policing in Nigeria.
With the passage by both Senate and the House of Representatives, attention now shifts to the 36 States’ Houses of Assemblies where at least 24 of them must endorse the bill before it becomes a law.
On Thursday, observers said the passage of the bill marks a major breakthrough in a debate that has dominated Nigeria’s security discourse for decades and comes amid worsening insecurity across several parts of the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and organised criminal activities.
The bill seeks to establish state-controlled police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force. It was approved after senators secured the constitutionally required two-thirds majority through a manual voting process adopted following technical glitches that affected the chamber’s electronic voting devices.
Under the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, no amendment can take effect without approval by at least two-thirds of the country’s state legislatures. This means no fewer than 24 Houses of Assembly must endorse the state police proposal before it can be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The next phase is therefore expected to trigger intense consultations among governors, lawmakers, security stakeholders and political actors across the federation.
Should the proposal secure the required endorsements, Nigeria would be on the verge of implementing one of the most transformative security reforms in its history.
Despite the passage, opinions are still divided over the merits or otherwise of state police in Nigeria. For supporters, state police represent a long-awaited solution to a growing national security crisis. But for critics, the challenge remains ensuring that constitutional safeguards are strong enough to prevent abuse.
Speaking on the passage, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, hailed both President Bola Tinubu and the Senate, describing the Senate’s approval of the bill’s 26 clauses as a landmark development in Nigeria’s democratic and security evolution.
He said the passage of the bill represented one of the most significant reforms of the nation’s security architecture, with the potential to strengthen grassroots policing and improve public safety.
Sanwo-Olu described the parliamentary approval as “epochal”, saying the development further demonstrated Mr. Tinubu’s long-standing commitment to true federalism and progressive governance in Nigeria.
“Today is a great day for our country and a moment to celebrate the triumph of genuine democratic and developmental ideas over parochial sentiments.
“State police have been in the mind of President Tinubu since 1999, when he governed Lagos. We are happy to witness its emergence in Nigeria today.
“The Senate has made history with this bold step. I urge the state assemblies to follow suit and ensure this important constitutional amendment becomes a reality,” he said.
The Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, who commended the National Assembly for the passage of the bill, described it as a courageous and timely intervention in Nigeria’s security architecture, adding that the passage confirms the lawmakers’ commitment to tackling insecurity nationwide.
According to him, a state policing system would work more closely with local communities, enabling faster response to threats due to better knowledge of local dynamics, culture and terrain.
Alia also expressed appreciation to Tinubu for what he called visionary leadership and commitment to reforming the country’s security architecture, describing the development as an issue that has dominated national discourse for years.
He assured Benue residents that his administration will continue to invest heavily in security, as well as support every reform aimed at guaranteeing peace, safety and prosperity for the state and the country at large.
The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State House of Assembly and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, on Thursday, said the conference had consistently supported the establishment of state police, noting that community-based policing would improve security response and address local challenges more effectively.
“This development marks a significant milestone in the national conversation on policing, security, and true federalism in Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the 36 state legislatures believe that policing structures rooted in local communities would enhance public safety and improve intelligence gathering.
“As Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, we had earlier indicated our support for the proposed legislation because we believe that community-based policing, properly structured under law, will enhance safety and response time across our states. Security is local, and our people deserve policing architecture that understands their terrain and challenges.
“With the Bill now proceeding to the next legislative stage, the Conference assures Nigerians that State Assemblies will give it diligent consideration in line with Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution. We will engage stakeholders, conduct public hearings where necessary, and deliberate dispassionately in the interest of national unity and the security of lives and property.
The speakers also pledged to work with the National Assembly, the executive arm of government, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful amendment of relevant constitutional provisions.
Speaking on the passage of the bill, the U.S. congressman, Riley Moore, said that Tinubu deserves credit, adding that the bill is a strong move to end Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Moore, who had been vocal about Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the alleged persecution of Christians, welcomed the development in a post on X on Thursday.
“I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces—a reform I’ve called for publicly and privately since I first started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria,” the U.S. lawmaker stated.
“I can’t stress how critical this law that will empower states to protect their own citizens and reduce dependence on decision makers in Abuja is to the effort to defend persecuted Christians and address insecurity,” stated the U.S. politician.
Daily Newscraft reports that Moore has been a thorn in the flesh of the Tinubu government, accusing it of splashing millions of dollars to lobby the American Congress while failing to address the killing of Christians in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a retired Commissioner of Police, Balarabe Sule, has said that the creation of the state police will face political interference and funding challenges in many states when it becomes fully operational.
While noting that its creation would reduce crime, Sule expressed doubts about the country’s readiness for it.
Sule also mentioned that, apart from funding issues, the creation of state police would be prone to corruption, abuse, conflicts of interest, and a lack of uniformity.
“I can very well tell you that many states will not have the resources to equip and pay remuneration for those to be employed to function effectively.
“In addition, there will be no uniformity in the operations of the personnel across the federation. You don’t expect an officer who is not well paid and equipped to perform optimally.
“This is where corruption will arise. Definitely, when you don’t pay them well and as when due, they will be exposed to corruption,” Sule explained.
“Again, I also fear that state police will be subject to abuse by governors, who pay them irrespective of the checks and balances,” he said.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayodele Arise, while commending Tinubu and members of the National Assembly for the swift passage of the bill, described it as a major step towards addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District between 2007 and 2011, also dismissed fears of abuse adding that the proposed state police structure would strengthen local security architecture and improve responses to emerging threats.
The former lawmaker noted that local policing would enhance intelligence gathering and complement the efforts of federal security agencies in tackling insecurity.
The passage of the State Police Bill is widely regarded as one of the most far-reaching security reforms proposed under the ongoing constitutional amendment process, with proponents arguing that decentralised policing would help address local security concerns more effectively, while opponents continue to raise concerns over possible political interference by state governments.