NASS advances state policing bill as Tinubu pushes for state police forces
Nigeria's National Assembly advanced constitution amendment bills for state policing on June 24, with the Senate concurring after the House passed the proposal on June 11. The bills seek to replace Nigeria's exclusively federal police structure with a dual system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services, allowing each of the 36 states to establish its own police command.
President Tinubu has consistently supported state policing as part of broader internal security reforms, arguing it would improve governance at subnational levels. However, for the amendment to become law, it must be ratified by at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly—a significant hurdle given varying state priorities and fiscal concerns about funding new police commands.
The proposal addresses long-standing calls for decentralized policing to tackle localized insecurity, though critics warn of potential for state-level abuse or ethnic profiling. Currently, Nigeria relies solely on the Nigeria Police Force, which critics say is overstretched and ineffective against complex security challenges like banditry and kidnapping.
With ratification required from 24 state assemblies, will your state push for rapid approval to gain local security control, or resist due to costs and autonomy concerns?