Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), has described President Bola Tinubu’s proposed establishment of State Police as a “masterstroke” designed to tackle insecurity and strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.
Jibrin, who chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, said the initiative represents a major security reform that would improve community-based policing and enhance the country’s ability to respond to emerging security threats.
Speaking on Radio Nigeria Kaduna’s Hausa programme, Hannu Da Yawa, the Deputy Senate President said the State Police proposal had undergone extensive legislative review, including public hearings held across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media, Ismail Mudashir, Jibrin said the executive bill initiated by President Tinubu was developed after consultations with key stakeholders, including the Presidency, National Assembly, Inspector-General of Police, retired police officers, security experts, state governors, civil society organisations and members of the public.
He said the move followed years of calls by Nigerians for constitutional reforms that would allow states to establish their own police services.
“President Tinubu carefully studied the situation and found that while many Nigerians support State Police, there are concerns that it could be abused or used for political or ethnic interests. That is why safeguards have been included in the system,” Jibrin said.
The lawmaker explained that State Police would serve as a complement to the Nigeria Police Force rather than a replacement, with officers recruited from local communities who understand the terrain and security challenges of their areas.
“State Police officers, recruited from local communities, will know the people, the environment and even the criminals. This will greatly improve our response to banditry, kidnapping and other forms of crime,” he said.
Jibrin added that states in the North-East and other regions facing serious security challenges would benefit greatly from the reform, noting that bringing policing closer to communities would make security operations more effective.
