Senate passes state police bill, clears path for decentralised policing

THE Senate on Wednesday passed the State Police Service Establishment Bill, 2026, a landmark constitutional amendment that paves the way for states to establish their own police forces alongside the federal police.

The legislation marks a significant shift from Nigeria’s 66-year-old centralised policing system, which has remained under the exclusive control of the Federal Government since Independence in 1960.

Lawmakers adopted a manual voting process on the bill’s 26 clauses, with senators raising their hands to be physically counted. The exercise produced more than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority needed for constitutional amendments.

Senate officials said the method was chosen to ensure transparency, prevent future disputes over the outcome, and clearly document each senator’s position on the proposal.

READ ALSO: Tinubu seeks Senate approval for state police as insecurity escalates

In a demonstration of the urgency attached to the measure, the bill scaled first, second and third readings on the same day. Lawmakers argued that growing insecurity across the country had made the creation of state police increasingly necessary.

The House of Representatives had earlier approved the bill. It will now be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

Opening debate on the legislation, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said Nigeria’s changing security realities had exposed the limitations of a solely federal policing structure.

He noted that the country’s diverse ethnic composition, vast territory, differing security concerns and socio-economic conditions required a more localised approach to law enforcement.

Bamidele cited terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, communal violence, farmer-herder clashes, cybercrime and organised criminal activities as some of the threats stretching the current policing framework beyond its limits.

According to him, the inability of local authorities to respond swiftly to security incidents has strengthened calls for decentralised policing from state governments, traditional rulers, civil society groups, security professionals and scholars.

Addressing fears that governors could misuse state police for political purposes, the Senate said the bill contains safeguards designed to prevent abuse.

Bamidele explained that governors would be prohibited from directing state police against political opponents, individuals, groups or associations unlawfully. He added that the legislation expressly forbids the use of police powers for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional or personal interests.

The bill enjoyed unanimous support throughout deliberations, with no senator speaking against its passage.

The proceedings attracted senior government officials, including Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who led a presidential delegation to the Senate chamber.

READ ALSO: Insecurity: Tinubu orders withdrawal of police officers from VIPs – but policy isn’t new

Also present were several governors, among them Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, as well as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and a number of state attorneys-general.

A brief controversy emerged when senators initially rejected a motion seeking to allow governors into the chamber to witness the proceedings. The governors were directed to observe from the gallery after the motion failed.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio later urged lawmakers to reconsider, stressing that state assemblies would play a critical role in the constitutional amendment process.

He warned that governors could influence the position of their respective legislatures if they felt slighted by the Senate. Following appeals by Akpabio and Bamidele, lawmakers reversed their earlier decision and admitted the governors into the chamber.

Although senators did not publicly explain the initial opposition, reports suggested that some lawmakers remained unhappy with governors they believed had influenced the loss of their re-election tickets ahead of the 2027 elections.

A source quoted by the Nigerian Tribune said some affected senators felt they no longer owed political loyalty to state governors.

In a separate development, the Senate also passed the Police Trust Fund Bill, which seeks to provide additional funding channels for the police and strengthen efforts to combat crime and insecurity nationwide.