N’Assembly moves to establish accountable State Police — Bamidele

2026-03-29 - 19:14

By Henry Umoru ABUJA — The Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that the National Assembly is working on a decentralised policing framework designed to strengthen accountability and prevent abuse by the political class. Bamidele said the proposed model would incorporate strict safeguards to check misuse of power, reinforce the justice system, curb impunity, and protect fundamental human rights. In a statement issued on Sunday to mark the 74th birthday of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the senator—who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution—stated that the parliament is committed to developing a policing structure that serves all Nigerians, regardless of status. According to him, the initiative aims to devolve policing powers to sub-national governments to enhance security and governance, particularly in remote areas. “The essence of the model is to ensure effective governance across all parts of the country while embedding accountability mechanisms and global best practices,” Bamidele said. He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly is prioritising the framework as part of broader efforts, in collaboration with the Presidency, to improve national security. The move follows the submission of a comprehensive framework by the Inspector-General of Police to the National Assembly, outlining modalities for the establishment of state police. The document, presented to Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who chairs the Constitution Review Committee, proposes a two-tier policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Under the proposal, the Federal Police would focus on national security, terrorism, and interstate crimes, while state police formations would handle local offences such as domestic violence, homicide, armed robbery, and community policing. A key feature of the framework is its strong emphasis on accountability and oversight. It recommends the establishment of independent State Police Service Commissions, Police Ombudsmen, and a National Police Standards Board to enforce uniform standards nationwide. To address concerns about potential political interference, the proposal outlines constitutional safeguards, including sanctions against unlawful orders and judicial review of politically motivated deployments. It also provides for a constitutionally backed State Police Fund, which would receive a statutory allocation from the Federation Account alongside contributions from state governments to ensure sustainable financing. Community policing is positioned at the core of the new structure, with provisions for grassroots engagement through local forums involving traditional leaders, youth groups, and civil society organisations. The framework further outlines a phased implementation plan over 60 months, beginning with constitutional amendments—particularly to Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution—to enable the coexistence of federal and state policing systems. Bamidele commended President Tinubu for supporting reforms aimed at addressing insecurity, noting that the administration has demonstrated a willingness to adopt non-traditional approaches to tackling crime and instability. He described the President as a visionary leader whose policies, though initially challenging, are beginning to yield positive outcomes across key sectors. Stakeholders have long advocated for state police as a means of addressing Nigeria’s complex security challenges, arguing that decentralised policing would better reflect the country’s federal structure and improve responsiveness to local threats.