State Police constitutional amendment nears as Tinubu administration advances security reform agenda
The Federal Government has announced significant progress toward the establishment of state police across Nigeria, with constitutional amendments required for its implementation expected to be introduced soon following months of consultations among the Presidency, the National Assembly and security agencies.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after a high-level consultative meeting on state police held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking to State House Correspondents, Gbajabiamila revealed that discussions on creating state police structures began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have since made substantial progress.
According to him, stakeholders have moved beyond debating the desirability of state police and are now focused on developing the constitutional and legal framework needed to bring the initiative into effect.
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President,” Gbajabiamila said.
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction. Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that.”
READ ALSO: Benue Killings: Group urges Tinubu to act decisively, backs state police initiative
Gbajabiamila explained that current discussions are centred on constitutional amendments that would provide the legal basis for state police, while enabling legislation to guide its operations would be developed subsequently.
“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter. That is what we have been deliberating on in the last couple of hours,” he said.
The Chief of Staff stressed that because policing is exclusively listed under the Nigerian Constitution, any move to establish state-controlled police forces must first secure constitutional backing before implementation can proceed.
The latest development signals increasing consensus among key stakeholders on one of Nigeria’s most debated constitutional reforms.
For years, advocates of state police have argued that Nigeria’s centralized policing structure has become overstretched amid rising security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, terrorism and other forms of criminality across different regions.
Gbajabiamila noted that discussions have now shifted from whether state police should exist to how it should be structured and regulated to ensure accountability and effectiveness.
He added that President Tinubu, who has repeatedly championed state policing as part of broader security sector reforms, would receive a comprehensive report on the outcomes of the latest consultatio
Since assuming office, President Tinubu has consistently advocated a decentralised policing model, arguing that security challenges are often localised and require local solutions supported by improved intelligence gathering and faster response mechanisms.
Supporters of state police believe the reform would strengthen grassroots security networks, improve collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies, and empower state governments to respond more effectively to emerging threats.
The Federal Government has maintained that a carefully designed framework would include safeguards to prevent abuse while ensuring coordination between federal and state security institutions.
Thursday’s meeting forms part of an ongoing series of consultations aimed at developing a workable and sustainable model for state policing in Nigeria.
Among those who attended the meeting were Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, alongside other senior government officials and security stakeholders.
Their participation underscores the growing collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in advancing one of the most significant security reforms proposed under the current administration.
Security analysts have long argued that state police could improve intelligence-driven policing and enhance responsiveness to local security threats, particularly in rural communities where federal police presence is often limited.
However, experts have also emphasized the need for strong constitutional safeguards, professional standards, independent oversight mechanisms and clear operational boundaries to prevent political interference or misuse by state governments.