30 state assemblies approve state police — constitutional threshold met for NPF overhaul

Thirty of Nigeria's 36 state Houses of Assembly have approved state police, clearing the constitutional threshold of 24 required to amend Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution — which currently prohibits any police force besides the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The National Assembly must now consummate the amendment.

The push comes amid a spiraling security crisis. Nigeria ranks fourth on the 2026 Global Terrorism Index. The Nigeria Security Tracker records 63,111 killed under Buhari (2015-2023) and 10,217 more in Tinubu's first two years. The NPF's ~300,000 officers cannot adequately protect 250+ million people. Recent atrocities include 33 massacred at a Taraba market on October 25 and 42 students still captive since May 12 in Askira Uba, Borno.

Premium Times argues state police must not become "glorified vigilante outfits." Key safeguards: recruitment by statutorily independent State Police Councils (not governors), rigorous training, intelligence capacity, and robust funding as a first-line charge. States spent ₦2 trillion supporting the NPF from 2008-2018 (per NGF), proving fiscal capacity — but security votes must stop "mysteriously disappearing." Revenue formula tweaks (FG currently takes 52.68%) could help.

Abuse risk is real: some governors already restrict opposition movement and deploy thugs. Clear legal limits on state police powers and a federal intervention mechanism (like Section 11(4) for dysfunctional assemblies) are essential.

The model: NPF coexists with state forces, as in the US (18,000+ agencies), UK, and Canada (RCMP plus 160 services). Properly run, state police could end the absurdity of governors negotiating ceasefires with bandits — as happened in Zamfara and Katsina — and reclaim territory from non-state actors.

Will your state assembly's vote translate into effective community policing, or just new avenues for political repression?

SOURCE: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/923807-editorial-making-the-state-police-work.html