The Path to State Policing in Nigeria
The long-debated establishment of state police has received a significant boost as the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, inaugurated a steering committee to drive the process. This development marks the clearest signal yet that the federal government is prepared to move from policy debates to structured implementation of state policing as part of efforts towards tackling rising insecurity across Nigeria.
However, the House of Representatives has cautioned that state policing cannot be implemented until relevant provisions of the Constitution are amended and duly passed by the National Assembly and ratified by the requisite number of State Houses of Assembly.
The steering committee on state police, headed by the Director-General, National Institute for Police Studies, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, was given four weeks to produce the framework that will guide the operation of state police in the country.
Those skeptical of state policing have always argued that it would be abused by state governors. Members of the committee include Bode Ojajuni, a Commissioner of Police (Secretary); Okebechi Agora, a Deputy Commissioner of Police; Suleyman Gulma, also a Deputy Commissioner of Police; Ikechukwu Okafor, an Assistant Commissioner of Police; Tolulope Ipinmisho, Chief Superintendent of Police and Emmanuel Ojukwu, a retired Commissioner of Police and Provost Police Public Relations School.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, during the interfaith breaking of fast with governors and senior government officials at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja, last week, vowed that the establishment of state police would not be postponed. ‘What I promise you will not be postponed. We will establish state police to combat insecurity,’ Tinubu had stated during the event, which marked the first Iftar of the 2026 Ramadan season.
Committee’s Tasks
Before inaugurating the committee at the Force Headquarters, the IGP had listed its tasks as including reviewing existing policing models within and outside Nigeria, assessing community security needs and emerging risks across the country, proposing an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures as well as addressing issues relating to recruitment, training, standards and resource allocation.
The IGP charged the committee to develop robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust. Disu said: ‘It is my great privilege to formally inaugurate this committee on state policing. The task before this committee is both significant and timely, as it speaks directly to our collective determination to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture and ensure that policing in our country remains responsive to the realities of our communities.’
Across the nation, we continue to confront evolving security challenges that require innovative thinking, strategic collaboration, and a willingness to explore reforms that will enhance our capacity to protect lives and property. The concept of state police is therefore being carefully examined as part of broader national efforts to improve security governance, bring policing closer to the people, and deepen community participation in crime prevention.
The committee we are inaugurating today has a critical responsibility. Your work will help shape the framework through which state policing may operate in Nigeria in a manner that strengthens, rather than fragments, our national security system. In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity and a clear appreciation of the unique complexities of policing a diverse nation such as ours.
The Vision Behind State Police
The IGP noted that state police creation is aimed at bringing law enforcement closer to communities. He said state police institutions can deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted responses to emerging threats. He explained that such a system could also strengthen public confidence in law enforcement by fostering closer relationships between officers and the communities they serve.
Enhanced familiarity with local cultures, languages and social structures can significantly improve intelligence gathering and cooperation between citizens and the police. Furthermore, the decentralization of certain policing responsibilities can allow for more efficient allocation of security resources. State governments and local authorities would be better positioned to respond to specific security challenges within their jurisdictions, while the federal government continues to focus on broader national security priorities.
Another important dimension of this reform is its potential contribution to economic and social development. The establishment of state police structures will create employment opportunities for thousands of young Nigerians, thereby contributing to national development while strengthening the country’s security capacity.
However, it is important to emphasize that state policing should not be misunderstood as a replacement for, or a diminution of, the Nigeria Police Force. Rather, it should be seen as a complementary structure within a coordinated national security framework. The Nigeria Police Force will continue to play its constitutional role as the primary national law enforcement institution responsible for maintaining internal security across the federation.
Indeed, the introduction of state police is expected to enhance the overall efficiency of policing by allowing the Federal Police to concentrate more strategically on complex and transnational crimes such as terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, trafficking networks and other serious security threats that require national coordination and specialized capabilities.
Legal Hurdles and Legislative Process
The IGP, however, urged the committee to approach its assignment with diligence, intellectual rigor and a deep sense of patriotism, saying the expectations of Nigerians are high. ‘The outcome of your work will play a significant role in shaping the future of policing in our country,’ the top police officer concluded.
State police can’t take effect without constitution amendment – Reps. When contacted yesterday, the spokesman of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, said a consolidated bill seeking the establishment of a state police is still undergoing legislative process in the National Assembly. He said state policing is among the 44 constitution amendment bills that lawmakers are expected to vote upon in the coming weeks.
On the report that an implementation committee on state police has been set up by the IGP, Rotimi clarified that until the relevant provisions of the Constitution are amended and duly passed by the National Assembly and ratified by the requisite number of State Houses of Assembly, implementation in the strict legal sense cannot commence. ‘The issue of state police is currently before the National Assembly as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process. It is one of the over forty Constitution Alteration Bills that will be coming up for voting in the House of Representatives in the coming weeks.’
Concerns and Calls for Reform
Reform existing policy structure first – Dr. Getso. A security expert, Dr Yahuza Getso, has expressed reservations over the move to establish state police, warning that the initiative may not address the deep-rooted challenges confronting policing in the country. Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, he said while the idea of state police has its merits, the country must first strengthen and reform the existing federal police structure.
He said while agitation for state police has gained momentum over the years, the fundamental problems affecting the Nigeria Police Force must first be addressed. According to him, the police institution has over the decades been plagued by corruption, compromise and loss of public trust. ‘The Nigerian police force has been characterised by high levels of corruption and compromise, which have made it very difficult for the public to have confidence in the institution. We are not saying all officers are corrupt, but the institution itself has suffered serious credibility issues.’
He alleged that political leaders at various levels have often used the police as a tool against perceived opponents and vulnerable citizens, rather than allowing the force to operate strictly within the provisions of the law. Dr Getso traced the challenges to what he described as longstanding institutional decay, noting that despite several reforms since the late 1970s, there has been no significant improvement in the quality of policing.
He further alleged that over the years, recruitment into the force had been compromised, with some individuals allegedly enlisted for political reasons. The security expert said while the idea of state police has its merits, the country must first strengthen and reform the existing federal police structure. ‘Why can’t we take advantage of history to fix the federal police itself, reorient it and return it to the right path? There are more pressing issues to address in the security sector.’
He also cautioned that under the present political climate, state police could be misused by state actors if adequate safeguards are not put in place. Getso urged the federal government to prioritise comprehensive reforms of the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that any decentralisation of policing must be carefully designed to avoid unintended consequences. He called for broad-based consultations and institutional reforms aimed at restoring professionalism, accountability and public trust in the nation’s security architecture.
