Nigeria is moving closer to the establishment of state police, with a constitutional amendment expected soon following months of consultations among the Presidency, the National Assembly, and security agencies.
This was disclosed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, after a consultative meeting on state police held at the State House in Abuja. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to develop a workable framework for the proposed security reform.
According to Gbajabiamila, discussions on the establishment of state police began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said the process had made significant progress but noted that the initiative requires careful attention to constitutional and legal requirements.
He explained that the current focus is on the constitutional amendment needed to create state police, while the enabling law would be developed afterward. He expressed optimism that the amendment process would be completed soon and that details of the proposed changes would be made public at the appropriate time.
The Chief of Staff said there is now broad support for the initiative across key institutions. He noted that discussions have moved beyond the question of whether state police should be established and are now focused on creating the legal and institutional framework needed for its successful operation.
Gbajabiamila added that President Tinubu, who has consistently supported the idea of state police, would receive a comprehensive report on the outcome of the meeting. He said the proposed system is expected to strengthen internal security, improve intelligence gathering at the grassroots level, and enhance the ability of state governments to respond to security challenges.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi, and Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu. The development was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.