Nigeria’s proposed state police system has moved closer to becoming law after 28 state legislatures approved the constitutional amendment to establish state-controlled police services.
The National Assembly disclosed the development on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, marking a major step towards changing Nigeria’s security structure.
The proposal would allow states to establish and control their own police forces alongside the existing federal police system.
However, the approval does not mean state police are already operational. The constitutional amendment must still complete the remaining legal process before the new system can take effect.
Why Nigeria Wants State Police
Nigeria has operated a centralised police system for decades, with the Nigeria Police Force responsible for policing across the country.
The push for state police has gained momentum amid persistent security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and attacks on rural communities.
Supporters argue that state-controlled police could improve local intelligence, strengthen community security and allow police operations to respond more quickly to local threats.
They also believe state governments would be better positioned to identify security priorities within their territories.
However, concerns remain over the possible misuse of state police by governors, political interference, human rights abuses and unequal policing across states.
What Happens After the 28-State Approval?
The approval by 28 state legislatures exceeds the constitutional requirement of at least 24 out of 36 states for a constitutional amendment.
The next step is for the National Assembly to collate and confirm the resolutions submitted by the state assemblies.
The amendment must then proceed through the remaining constitutional process, including presidential assent, before it can become law.
Once the amendment takes effect, the legal and institutional framework for establishing state police services would need to be implemented.
This would include determining how state police operate alongside the federal police, their responsibilities, oversight and safeguards against abuse.
Will Governors Control State Police?
The proposed framework would allow states to establish their own police services.
Under the amendment proposal, governors would appoint state commissioners of police, subject to confirmation by their respective state assemblies.
The structure is expected to create a policing system in which federal and state police services operate alongside each other.
However, the details of implementation, accountability and coordination would be crucial to determining how effective the arrangement becomes.
What State Police Could Mean for Nigeria’s Security
If implemented effectively, state police could improve intelligence gathering and make security operations more responsive to local conditions.
States could develop policing strategies around their specific security challenges, while closer community engagement could help authorities identify threats earlier.
The reform could also reduce pressure on the federal police by allowing states to take greater responsibility for local security.
But the system would face significant challenges, including funding, recruitment, training, equipment and coordination between federal and state authorities.
Without strong oversight, state police could also become vulnerable to political interference or human rights violations.
What Next?
The approval by 28 state legislatures represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s long-running state police debate.
The immediate focus is now on the National Assembly’s confirmation of the state resolutions and the remaining constitutional steps.
Until those steps are completed, state police remain a proposed reform rather than an operational security system.
The major question is whether Nigeria can establish a decentralised police structure that improves local security while protecting citizens from political abuse.
The outcome could reshape how policing is organised across the country.
