By Iroyin Yoruba Television
Four Nigerian states have approved a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, marking a significant development in the Federal Government's effort to reform the country's policing system and strengthen the response to insecurity.
The development was disclosed on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, by the Secretary of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Nnadubem Moghalu, during the second annual House of Representatives Press Corps Distinguished Parliamentary Lecture in Abuja.
According to the presidential working group, Edo, Oyo, Osun and Rivers states have so far approved the constitutional amendment bill transmitted by the National Assembly to the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
The move represents an important stage in the long-running debate over whether Nigeria should introduce state-controlled police forces alongside the existing federal police structure.
Supporters of state police have argued that a more decentralised policing system could improve the country's ability to respond to insecurity because officers operating closer to communities may have a better understanding of local security conditions.
The proposal has gained renewed attention as Nigeria continues to deal with kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, cult-related violence, communal clashes and other forms of criminality across different parts of the country.
Under the current system, the Nigeria Police Force operates as a centrally structured national institution, with policing responsibilities largely coordinated through the federal government.
The proposed constitutional amendment would create a legal framework for states to establish their own police organisations.
The process, however, requires constitutional amendment and therefore involves several stages before state police can become a functioning part of Nigeria's security architecture.
The approval by four state assemblies indicates that the proposal has moved beyond discussion at the federal level and is now being considered directly by state lawmakers.
For supporters of the reform, the development could represent an opportunity to bring policing closer to the people.
Nigeria has a large population spread across extensive geographical areas, making it difficult for a single centrally controlled police organisation to respond equally effectively to security incidents in every community.
Local police structures could potentially improve response times because officers would operate within the communities and states they are responsible for protecting.
They could also develop deeper knowledge of local criminal networks, traditional institutions, roads, forests and other locations relevant to security operations.
Such knowledge could be particularly valuable in rural areas where insecurity has become a major challenge.
Kidnapping and banditry, for example, often involve criminals who exploit difficult terrain and move across communities.
Local security personnel who understand the geography and social structure of an area could potentially assist in identifying suspicious movements and gathering information.
However, the proposed reform has also generated concerns.
One of the biggest questions surrounding state police is how to prevent political interference.
Governors and other political actors could potentially exercise significant influence over state-controlled police structures.
Critics fear that without strong legal safeguards, state police could be used to intimidate political opponents, influence elections or suppress legitimate criticism.
The presidential working group has therefore emphasised the importance of safeguards that would prevent abuse.
The debate is not simply about creating additional police officers.
It is also about determining who controls the police, how officers are recruited and trained, how complaints are handled and how security personnel can be held accountable for misconduct.
A credible state policing system would require clear rules governing operational independence and professional standards.
There would also need to be mechanisms for investigating allegations against officers and ensuring that citizens can seek redress when their rights are violated.
Funding represents another major issue.
States would need sufficient resources to recruit personnel, provide training, purchase vehicles and communication equipment, establish police stations and maintain operational infrastructure.
Nigeria's 36 states have significantly different financial capacities.
Some states generate substantial revenues, while others depend heavily on allocations from the federal government.
This raises questions about whether state police forces would have comparable capabilities across the country.
A wealthy state could potentially establish a much better-equipped police force than a financially weaker state.
Such differences could influence the quality of security services available to citizens.
There is also the question of coordination between state police and the existing Nigeria Police Force.
Criminals do not necessarily operate within state boundaries.
Kidnappers, bandits, trafficking networks and other criminal groups can move between states.
Effective security operations would therefore require cooperation between state police forces, the federal police, the military, intelligence agencies and other security organisations.
Clear rules would be needed to determine which agency takes responsibility when a security operation crosses state boundaries.
Intelligence sharing would also be essential.
Without strong coordination, criminals could exploit gaps between federal and state security agencies.
For example, an armed group could move from one state into another in an attempt to escape arrest.
If information is not shared quickly, officers in the second state may not know that the suspects are approaching.
A properly coordinated policing structure could reduce that vulnerability.
The approval by Edo, Oyo, Osun and Rivers therefore represents only one stage in what could become a lengthy constitutional process.
Other state assemblies will need to consider the proposal before the required constitutional threshold can be achieved.
The National Assembly would also remain central to the amendment process.
The reform will ultimately require broad institutional agreement because policing is closely connected to constitutional responsibilities and the overall structure of Nigeria's federal system.
The current debate is also taking place against the backdrop of public concern about insecurity.
Many Nigerians have called for stronger action against kidnappers, terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups.
Communities affected by repeated attacks often want faster emergency responses and greater police presence.
In some rural communities, the absence of security personnel can create an environment in which criminals operate with relative freedom.
State police supporters believe a decentralised structure could help close some of these gaps.
Local recruitment could potentially allow police forces to attract officers familiar with local languages and customs.
That familiarity could improve communication with residents and encourage greater cooperation between communities and law enforcement.
Community trust is an important part of effective policing.
Residents are more likely to provide information about criminal activity when they believe authorities will protect them and respond appropriately.
Local police could potentially build stronger relationships with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious organisations and other local institutions.
However, such relationships would need to be managed carefully to avoid local political or social interests influencing policing decisions.
Professional standards would remain essential.
State police officers would need training in investigation, evidence handling, human rights, crowd management, emergency response and other areas required for modern policing.
Recruitment standards would also need to prevent politically motivated appointments.
The proposed system could provide an opportunity to improve police accountability if appropriate institutions are established alongside it.
State-level oversight bodies, complaint mechanisms and independent investigation procedures could help ensure that officers are answerable for misconduct.
Without such safeguards, however, decentralisation could create new forms of abuse.
The debate therefore involves balancing two competing objectives: bringing policing closer to communities while preventing excessive political control.
Nigeria's federal structure makes the issue particularly complex.
States already have responsibilities for many aspects of governance, including education, healthcare, infrastructure and local development.
Security, however, has traditionally remained heavily centralised.
Introducing state police would represent a major change in the country's security architecture.
It could also affect the relationship between state governments and federal security institutions.
Governors would potentially have greater responsibility for security within their territories, while the Federal Government would continue to manage national security threats through the military, federal police and intelligence agencies.
Clear constitutional boundaries would therefore be required.
There would need to be clear definitions of the responsibilities of state police, federal police and other security agencies.
The reform could also influence electoral security.
Nigeria's elections have historically required substantial security deployments, and state police could potentially provide additional personnel during elections.
But this is also one of the areas where critics have expressed the strongest concerns.
If state police are perceived to be under the control of incumbent political authorities, opposition parties could question their neutrality during elections.
Strong safeguards would therefore be necessary to protect political competition and public confidence.
The approval of the constitutional amendment by four states will likely intensify the national debate.
Other state assemblies will have to examine the potential benefits and risks before deciding whether to support the proposal.
Citizens are also likely to demand clarity about funding, recruitment, accountability and operational independence.
For the Federal Government, the reform is part of a broader effort to improve Nigeria's policing system.
The objective is to create a structure capable of responding more effectively to the security needs of a large and diverse population.
Whether state police can achieve that objective will depend largely on how the system is designed and implemented.
Creating additional police forces without adequate funding, training and oversight could fail to solve the underlying problems.
Likewise, simply decentralising policing without addressing intelligence gathering, judicial delays, inadequate equipment and community trust would leave major weaknesses unresolved.
The reform therefore needs to be approached as part of a wider security strategy.
Nigeria's security challenges require more than additional personnel.
Police officers need reliable vehicles, communications equipment, forensic capabilities, intelligence systems and effective investigative tools.
The criminal justice system must also be capable of processing cases efficiently so that arrests lead to successful prosecutions where evidence supports them.
If policing improves but investigations and prosecutions remain weak, criminals may continue to operate with limited fear of consequences.
The establishment of state police could nevertheless create opportunities for innovation.
Different states could develop policing strategies suited to their specific security environments while maintaining national standards.
States facing urban crime could focus on community policing and rapid response, while states dealing with rural insecurity could develop specialised approaches to protecting remote communities and transport routes.
Sharing successful practices between states could eventually strengthen policing nationwide.
For now, the approval by Edo, Oyo, Osun and Rivers represents an early but important step.
The proposal still faces further constitutional and legislative procedures before state police can become operational.
The coming stages will determine whether more states support the amendment and whether the required constitutional threshold can be achieved.
The debate will also continue over how to guarantee accountability and prevent political abuse.
For Nigerians living in communities affected by insecurity, however, the central question is straightforward: will the reform make them safer?
That outcome will depend not only on whether state police are created, but on whether they are properly funded, professionally managed, independently supervised and effectively coordinated with existing security institutions.
The approval by four states has moved the state-police debate into a new phase.
As the constitutional process continues, lawmakers, security experts, civil society organisations and citizens will be expected to examine both the opportunities and risks associated with decentralising policing.
If carefully designed, the reform could bring security closer to communities and improve local responses to crime.
If poorly implemented, it could create new security and political challenges.
The next stages of the constitutional amendment process will therefore be closely watched as Nigeria considers one of the most significant changes to its policing structure in decades.