Nigeria moved closer to decentralising its policing system after 28 of the country’s 36 state legislatures approved a constitutional amendment allowing state governments to establish their own police forces, the National Assembly announced on Tuesday.
The approvals exceeded the two-thirds threshold of 24 state assemblies required to advance an amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
Kamoru Ogunlana, clerk of the National Assembly, said his office had received and verified the legislative records confirming the votes and was completing administrative procedures to transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The development marks a significant step in a longstanding debate over whether Nigeria’s centralised policing system can adequately address security threats across Africa’s most populous country.
Intelligence gathering
The Nigeria Police Force currently operates under federal control, with the inspector-general of police overseeing its operations.
Supporters of decentralisation argue that establishing state police forces would improve local intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable faster responses to kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
Under the proposed framework, federal and state police services would operate alongside each other, with provisions governing the appointment of state police commissioners and their relationship with governors.
Presidential assent
The Senate passed the bill on June 24, followed by the House of Representatives on July 23.
It was subsequently transmitted to all 36 state legislatures September 16, with a 30-day deadline for their responses that expired October 15.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the National Assembly intended to complete the remaining legislative procedures and submit the amendment to President Tinubu before December.
