Tinubu Seeks Constitutional Amendment to Establish State Police Nationwide
By Peter Asogwa
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate, seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen the country's security architecture.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework for state-controlled police forces. The move is expected to decentralize policing and grant state governments greater authority in maintaining law and order within their respective jurisdictions.
The bill reflects growing calls from state governors, security experts, and other stakeholders who have advocated for a more localized policing system to address the country's evolving security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and communal conflicts.
According to proponents of the initiative, state police would enhance intelligence gathering, improve response times to security threats, and promote stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local communities.
The proposed constitutional amendment also forms part of broader discussions on restructuring and strengthening Nigeria's federal system, with supporters arguing that a decentralized policing framework would improve public safety and accountability.
The Senate is expected to give priority consideration to the bill in the coming weeks, as lawmakers deliberate on what could become one of the most significant security reforms since Nigeria's return to democratic governance in 1999.
If approved by the National Assembly and endorsed by the required number of state Houses of Assembly, the legislation would pave the way for the formal establishment of state police forces across the federation.
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