Indications from the Presidency suggest that plans to establish state police have reached an advanced stage, with a constitutional amendment expected soon. The development comes after months of consultations involving the Presidency, the National Assembly, and top security officials.
The announcement has renewed interest across the country. For years, state police remained one of Nigeria’s most debated security proposals. However, recent comments from top government officials suggest the initiative may now be moving from discussion to implementation.
The process was highlighted on Thursday by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, following a high-level meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Gbajabiamila revealed that discussions on the proposal began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, considerable progress has been made.
He said:
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President.”
Furthermore, he explained that creating state police involves several constitutional and legal steps.
Gbajabiamila added:
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction.”
Moreover, the Presidency indicated that constitutional changes could be introduced sooner than expected.
He stated:
“Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that.”
Meanwhile, government officials believe the initiative could improve local security responses and strengthen intelligence gathering across the country.
According to Gbajabiamila, attention is currently focused on constitutional adjustments before enabling laws are introduced.
He explained:
“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter. That is what we have been deliberating on in the last couple of hours.”
In addition, he noted that national conversations have evolved significantly.
The debate, he said, is no longer centered on whether state police should exist.
Instead, discussions are now focused on how the system should operate and what safeguards should be included.
Furthermore, President Tinubu is expected to receive a comprehensive report outlining recommendations from the latest consultations.
The Federal Government has consistently argued that Nigeria’s changing security landscape requires new approaches.
Therefore, supporters believe a decentralized policing structure could help address challenges that vary from one state to another.
The proposal is also expected to improve cooperation between communities and law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, advocates argue that local authorities are often better positioned to understand security threats within their regions.
The consultative meeting was attended by several senior officials.
Among them were Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu.
