…As Tinubu administration advances security reform
By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has made significant progress towards the establishment of state police, with a constitutional amendment expected in the coming weeks as consultations among key stakeholders enter an advanced stage.
Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after a high-level consultative meeting on state police convened by the Presidency at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking with State House Correspondents, Gbajabiamila said deliberations on the framework for state policing began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have since recorded substantial progress.
According to him, discussions have moved beyond the conceptual stage and are now focused on the constitutional amendments required to create a legal foundation for state police operations across the country.
“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,” he said.
“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. Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly.”
Gbajabiamila explained that once the constitutional amendment is secured, an enabling law would be developed to provide operational guidelines and institutional safeguards for the proposed policing system.
He noted that discussions at the meeting centered on addressing constitutional and legal concerns to ensure a workable and sustainable framework for state police.
The Chief of Staff said there appears to be broad consensus among stakeholders on the need for state police, adding that the focus has shifted from debating its necessity to designing the appropriate legal and operational structure.
“The question is no longer whether there should be state police. The discussions now revolve around how it should be implemented and regulated within the constitutional framework,” he said.
Gbajabiamila further revealed that President Tinubu would be briefed on the outcome of the consultations as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
The meeting forms part of a series of engagements initiated by the Federal Government to develop a comprehensive framework for state police, a proposal aimed at improving grassroots security, enhancing intelligence gathering and empowering sub-national governments to respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
President Tinubu has repeatedly advocated for a decentralized policing structure, arguing that state police would complement existing security arrangements and improve the protection of lives and property nationwide.
Among those who attended the meeting were Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; and Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, alongside other senior government officials.
The renewed push for state police marks one of the most significant security sector reform efforts under the Tinubu administration and could reshape policing and internal security management in Nigeria if the proposed constitutional amendments receive legislative approval.
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