Senate Unveils Safeguards Against Governors’ Misuse of State Police Powers
The Senate has outlined key safeguards aimed at preventing state governors from abusing the proposed state police system after approving constitutional amendments to establish decentralised policing across Nigeria.
The measures were presented by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele during the debate on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026. The bill secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process.
Before becoming law, the proposal must still be passed by the House of Representatives, receive presidential assent from Bola Tinubu, and be approved by a majority of state Houses of Assembly.
According to Bamidele, the legislation is designed to establish state police services while preventing governors from deploying them for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal interests. He explained that the proposal seeks to balance local policing autonomy with accountability, national unity, and effective oversight.
Under the bill, the Nigeria Police Force will continue to handle federal policing responsibilities, while states that choose to establish their own police services will be empowered to enforce state laws, maintain public order, prevent and investigate crimes within their jurisdictions, and protect lives and property.
The Senate Leader said federal police would retain exclusive responsibility for protecting federal institutions, combating terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, border security, arms trafficking, interstate criminal activities, and other national security matters.
He further explained that federal authorities would only intervene in state policing under specific circumstances, including a breakdown of public order, the inability of a state police service to function, serious violations of fundamental rights, cases of electoral intimidation, or threats to national security.
Such intervention, he noted, would require written authorisation from the President, be limited in scope and duration, remain subject to Senate oversight, and be open to judicial review.
Bamidele said the proposed framework is intended to preserve constitutional rights while creating a modern policing system capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Supporting the bill, Enyinnaya Abaribe disclosed that although he previously opposed state police, the country’s current security realities have convinced him of its necessity.
Former Sokoto State Governor and senator Aminu Tambuwal also reiterated his longstanding support for state policing, while Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno urged lawmakers to back the constitutional amendment, describing it as a critical step toward strengthening security at the subnational level.
