JUST-IN: Nigerian Senate Passes Constitutional Amendment Bill for State Police
Ademola Busayo 
Abuja, Nigeria – In a historic move aimed at addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges, the Senate has passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police across the country.
The development marks a major step toward decentralizing Nigeria’s policing system, allowing individual states to establish and manage their own police forces alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
The proposed legislation is part of ongoing constitutional reforms designed to strengthen internal security, improve intelligence gathering, and enhance rapid response to crime and other security threats at the grassroots level.
The bill enjoys broad support from lawmakers and has been widely advocated by governors, security experts, and stakeholders who believe local policing will help tackle insecurity more effectively. (Premium Times Nigeria)
Supporters of the initiative argue that State Police will enable states to respond swiftly to local security concerns, improve community policing, and reduce the burden on the federally controlled police system. They also believe officers recruited from local communities will possess better knowledge of their environment and be more effective in combating crime.
However, concerns have been raised by critics who fear that some state governments could misuse state-controlled police forces for political purposes. Questions have also been raised regarding funding, training standards, and coordination between federal and state security agencies.
Despite the Senate’s approval, the constitutional amendment must still secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted for presidential assent and become part of the Constitution.
If eventually signed into law, the State Police framework would represent one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
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Ayo Marvel 
Emmanuel Femi Adedayo 