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The Senate on Wednesday passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, marking a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s long-running debate over decentralising the country’s policing system.
The bill scaled through after a rigorous clause-by-clause consideration during plenary, with more than two-thirds of senators voting in support through a manual voting process.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the legislation following overwhelming support from lawmakers on the floor of the Red Chamber.
The upper legislative chamber adopted the report of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, presented by Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Committee, Barau Jibrin.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele urged lawmakers to support the proposal, describing it as a critical reform capable of strengthening internal security and improving responses to local security threats.
The passage came shortly after the Senate abandoned plans to deploy an electronic voting system due to concerns over technical glitches that could affect participation and compromise the credibility of the exercise.
Akpabio defended the adoption of manual voting, saying it would ensure transparency and allow Nigerians to know the position of their representatives on a constitutional matter of national importance.
The legislation seeks to create a state policing framework that would operate alongside the existing federal police structure, ending the exclusive control of policing by the Federal Government.
A key provision of the bill empowers governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by their state Houses of Assembly.
Under Clause 17, while the Federal Police Service will remain under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, each State Police Service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature.
The bill further provides that governors may issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to Commissioners of Police on matters concerning public safety and public order within their states.
To address concerns over possible abuse of state police by political office holders, the Senate incorporated safeguards aimed at protecting civil liberties.
Section 17(7) states: “A State Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate or deploy force against any person, political party or group merely for criticising the government except in accordance with the law.”
The provision is widely seen as an attempt to prevent the misuse of state police structures against political opponents and dissenting voices.
Several high-profile government officials witnessed the historic vote, including governors from Kaduna, Ogun and Ondo states, as well as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Political observers have described the passage as one of the most significant constitutional reforms undertaken by the 10th National Assembly.
If eventually ratified through the remaining constitutional processes, including approval by the required number of state Houses of Assembly, the legislation is expected to fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s security architecture.
For Plateau State and other regions battling communal conflicts, banditry and farmer-herder clashes, the proposed state police structure is expected to enhance local intelligence gathering and improve rapid security response mechanisms.
The bill now proceeds to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process before it can become part of the nation’s supreme law.
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