Overview of the Proposed Two-Tier Policing Architecture
The establishment of state police in Nigeria is set to redefine the country’s law enforcement structure. The proposed framework, which has been submitted to the Senate, outlines a two-tier policing system that aims to address the growing concerns around security and community relations.
This new structure introduces a Federal Police Service (FPS) that will be responsible for national security, terrorism, interstate crime, and federal law enforcement. Alongside it, 37 State Police Services (SPS) will be created, one for each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These state services will focus on local criminal offenses, domestic violence, homicide, armed robbery, and community policing as their primary mandate.
Key Components of the Framework
One of the most significant aspects of this proposal is the emphasis on community policing. According to the document, every State Police Service must maintain a dedicated Department of Community Policing, with Community Policing Forums established at every Local Government Area. These forums will consist of police officers, traditional leaders, women’s groups, youth organizations, and religious leaders. Community Liaison Officers will be assigned to specific communities, expected to speak local languages and be evaluated based on community forum ratings.
Constitutional Amendments Required
To establish state police, targeted amendments to the 1999 Constitution are necessary. Specifically, Section 214 needs to be revised to allow state police to coexist with the Federal Police Service. Additionally, “State Police” must be moved from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent Legislative List in the Second Schedule. A new Section 214A would constitutionally establish a National Police Standards Board (NPSB).
National Police Standards Board (NPSB)
The NPSB will serve as the backbone of the new policing architecture. It will be an independent 13-member federal board responsible for setting, monitoring, and enforcing minimum national standards across all police services. These standards will cover recruitment, training, conduct, accountability, and funding. The NPSB will publish annual compliance ratings for every state service, with non-compliance triggering funding penalties.
Safeguards Against Political Abuse
The report recognizes concerns about the potential misuse of state police by governors. To prevent this, the framework recommends constitutional prohibitions on partisan deployment, independent State Police Service Commissions insulated from gubernatorial interference, and criminal sanctions for officials who issue unlawful orders. A Federal High Court fast-track review process is also proposed for politically motivated deployments.
Voluntary Transfer Programme (VTP)
No officer will be involuntarily dismissed under the new framework. Instead, officers can opt to transfer to their home-state or preferred State Police Service. Incentives include a three-month salary Transfer Facilitation Grant, a transition training program, and a guaranteed Pension Continuity certificate. The FPS will retain approximately 40% of officers for national roles, while 60% will be ceded to state services.
Multi-Layered Accountability Architecture
Oversight is deliberately layered to prevent capture by any single political interest. This includes State Police Service Commissions (independent appointment and discipline), State Police Ombudsmen (independent complaints handling), NPSB inspections, State House of Assembly standing committees, mandatory Body-Worn Cameras with secure cloud storage, and public performance dashboards showing use-of-force statistics and community satisfaction data.
Dedicated Funding Through a State Police Fund (SPF)
A constitutionally protected State Police Fund will receive a 3% statutory federal allocation from the Federation Account. This allocation will be distributed using a formula that weights population, land area, security need, and fiscal capacity. Each state government is also required to contribute a minimum of 15% from its security budget. Adequate and transparent funding is framed explicitly as an anti-corruption measure.
Phased Implementation Roadmap
The rollout of the new policing structure is structured across four phases:
- Constitutional and Legal Foundations (Months 1-12): Focus on amending the constitution and enacting necessary laws.
- Establishment of State Services and VTP Launches (Months 13-24): Creation of state police services and initiation of the voluntary transfer program.
- Initial Operations and FPS Withdrawal from Local Policing (Months 25-42): Transitioning responsibilities from the FPS to state services.
- Full Consolidation with Independent Evaluation and Legislative Review (Months 43-60): Finalizing the implementation and reviewing legislative frameworks.
This comprehensive approach aims to ensure a smooth transition and long-term effectiveness of the new policing model.
