The Nigerian Senate has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across the country, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing debate over Nigeria’s security architecture.
The bill was approved on Wednesday during plenary after lawmakers considered and voted on the proposed constitutional amendment.
The development comes amid growing calls from stakeholders, governors, security experts, and civil society groups for the decentralisation of policing to tackle rising insecurity in different parts of the country.
Before the voting process began, senators resolved to adopt manual voting after the electronic voting device in the chamber developed a technical fault. The malfunction raised concerns among lawmakers, with some warning that proceeding with the electronic system could disenfranchise members who might be unable to cast their votes.
To ensure transparency and full participation, the Senate agreed to conduct the vote manually. Under the arrangement, each senator stood up individually, announced their name, and openly declared their position on the proposed state police framework.
The motion for the adoption of manual voting was moved by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and received the support of the chamber.
The passage of the bill represents one of the most important constitutional reforms currently being considered by the National Assembly. Advocates of state policing have long argued that the country’s centralised policing system is overstretched and unable to effectively address security challenges in all parts of Nigeria.
Supporters believe state police will bring law enforcement closer to the people, improve intelligence gathering, enhance community policing, and enable quicker responses to security threats such as banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and communal conflicts.
However, critics have expressed concerns that state police could be abused by state governments for political purposes. They have called for strong constitutional safeguards, oversight mechanisms, and accountability measures to prevent misuse of the system.
The Senate’s approval is expected to strengthen ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s security sector. The bill will now proceed through the remaining constitutional processes required for amendments before the establishment of state police can become a reality.
The decision is expected to generate widespread reactions from state governments, security agencies, political stakeholders, and members of the public, many of whom have long advocated changes to Nigeria’s policing structure in response to evolving security challenges across the country.
