BREAKING: Presidency Accelerates State Policing Plans To Address National Security Challenges

Indications emerged on Thursday that Nigerian authorities have made significant progress towards establishing state police. The Presidency revealed that work on the necessary constitutional amendment is expected to be completed shortly.

This development follows approximately four months of consultations among the executive arm of government, the National Assembly, and relevant security authorities.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after a consultative meeting convened by the Presidency at the State House, Abuja.

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Legislative framework for decentralisation

President Bola Tinubu has been actively advocating for the establishment of state police to decentralise Nigeria’s security architecture as part of broader measures to address grassroots insecurity. However, such a move requires an amendment to the 1999 Constitution, which currently places policing under exclusive federal jurisdiction.

The President has officially urged the National Assembly to begin reviewing relevant laws to permit the creation of state-controlled police forces. This has led to several engagements between the Presidency and state governors, with nearly all state governments submitting reports indicating their support for the initiative.

At a meeting of the National Economic Council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, both governors and the Presidency have been deliberating on the mechanisms that would allow willing and capable states to establish their own policing structures.

Balancing security and constitutional legalities

While the state police forces are designed to work alongside existing federal security structures, the administration aims to fast-track the devolution of security powers and boost auxiliary forces such as forest guards.

Speaking after the deliberations on Thursday, Gbajabiamila noted that the framework began several months ago following a directive from President Tinubu. He explained that the process has gained considerable traction but requires careful consideration of constitutional and legal issues.

“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,” Gbajabiamila stated. He added that the details of the constitutional amendment would be unveiled shortly, with enabling legislation to follow thereafter.

Broad national support

The Chief of Staff highlighted broad national support for the initiative, emphasising that the debate has shifted from whether state police should be established to the creation of the appropriate legal and institutional framework for its operation.

The President, who has consistently maintained that state police is a necessary response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, is expected to receive a comprehensive report on the meeting’s outcome. The initiative aims to strengthen internal security, improve local intelligence gathering, and enhance the capacity of sub-national governments to address emerging threats nationwide.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; and the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, among other senior