The Senate has unveiled a series of safeguards designed to prevent the misuse of state police powers by governors following the passage of constitutional amendments aimed at decentralising policing across Nigeria.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the measures on Wednesday while leading debate on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026.
The Senate approved the landmark legislation after a clause-by-clause consideration and a manual voting process in which more than two-thirds of lawmakers voted in support. The bill must still secure approval from the House of Representatives, receive presidential assent, and be ratified by a majority of state Houses of Assembly before becoming law.
According to Bamidele, the proposed amendment seeks to establish a decentralised policing structure while ensuring that state police are not used for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal interests.
He explained that the bill, transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, was carefully designed to strike a balance between local policing autonomy, national unity, accountability, and effective oversight.
“The bill is intended to retain the Nigeria Police Force for federal policing duties while providing for the establishment of state police services in states that choose to adopt them,” he stated.
Bamidele noted that state police services would be limited to enforcing state laws, maintaining public safety and order, preventing and detecting crimes within their jurisdictions, protecting lives and property, and performing other local policing functions.
He further clarified that the federal police would retain responsibility for protecting federal institutions, combating terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, arms trafficking, border security, interstate criminal activities, and other matters relating to national security.
The Senate Leader also outlined the conditions under which the federal police could intervene in state security matters. According to him, such intervention would only occur in cases of a complete breakdown of public order, failure of a state police service to function effectively, serious violations of fundamental rights, documented electoral intimidation, or threats to national security.
He stressed that any federal intervention would require written authorisation from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and would be limited in scope and duration. Such actions would also be subject to Senate oversight and judicial review.
“The bill seeks to balance local policing autonomy with national cohesion, accountability with operational effectiveness, and federal oversight with state responsibility,” Bamidele said.
“It contains robust safeguards against abuse, preserves federal authority where necessary, protects constitutional rights, and creates a modern policing framework capable of addressing contemporary security challenges.”
Speaking in support of the bill, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, admitted that he had previously opposed the creation of state police but had reconsidered his position in light of Nigeria’s worsening security situation.
“However, the prevailing security challenges across the federation now make the establishment of state police necessary,” Abaribe said.
Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator, Aminu Tambuwal, also endorsed the proposal, noting that he had consistently advocated for the creation of state police.
Similarly, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, urged lawmakers to support the amendment, arguing that it would strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity and improve policing at the sub-national level.
