State Police to Begin Operations in December — Senate Leader

State Police to Begin Operations in December — Senate Leader

Nigeria may begin operating a state police system by December 2026, following the approval of a proposed constitutional amendment by at least 30 State Houses of Assembly.

Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State.

Bamidele, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, presented a paper to participants of Senior Executive Course 48.

His presentation focused on improving governance efficiency and effectiveness through proactive lawmaking.

He explained that the 30 state approvals had satisfied the requirement under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution for altering the country’s supreme law.

The constitutional provision requires approval from at least two-thirds of all State Houses of Assembly before an amendment can proceed.

Describing the development as a major breakthrough, Bamidele said state police had moved beyond years of political discussions and were approaching constitutional reality.

He explained that the National Assembly would collate the resolutions from the state legislatures before securing a simple majority in both chambers.

The proposed amendment would then be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent, with the remaining legislative process expected to conclude on or before December 2026.

The Senate Leader also dismissed concerns that governors could turn state police formations into political instruments.

He stressed that the proposed arrangement was not intended to create state armies but community-based policing institutions operating under constitutional safeguards.

According to him, the framework would include operational standards, oversight mechanisms and human rights protections.

Bamidele added that decentralised policing would help security personnel understand local communities, communicate in familiar languages and respond more effectively to security challenges.

The proposed reform would introduce another layer of policing alongside the existing federal structure, potentially changing security administration across the country.