ABUJA — The Presidency has disclosed that the establishment of state police in Nigeria is now within reach, following significant progress on constitutional and legal frameworks required for its implementation.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, made this known on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after a high-level consultative meeting convened by the Presidency at the State House in Abuja.
According to Gbajabiamila, the Federal Government has made substantial strides toward creating state police formations across the country, with a constitutional amendment expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.
He revealed that discussions on the framework for state policing commenced about three to four months ago on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that the process involves extensive constitutional and legal considerations.
“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,” he said.
“Thank God we have now gained a lot of traction. Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that. It is close at hand.”
The Chief of Staff explained that deliberations have progressed beyond the conceptual stage and are now focused on fine-tuning the constitutional amendments needed to give legal backing to state police structures. He added that an enabling law would be enacted once the constitutional changes are secured.
“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter,” Gbajabiamila stated.
He further noted that national discourse has shifted from debating the desirability of state police to determining the most effective legal and institutional framework for its operation.
The move is widely seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to address growing security challenges across the country, with increasing support from stakeholders and subnational governments for a decentralized policing system.
If approved, the establishment of state police would mark one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
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