The Senate has approved a constitutional amendment bill that would allow states to establish their own police services alongside the federal police structure.
The Nigerian Senate has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police services across the federation, a move that could significantly reshape the country’s security architecture.
The legislation seeks to replace the existing single police structure with a dual system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services. Under the proposed framework, states would be empowered to establish and manage their own police formations while the federal police retains responsibility for national security functions, including counterterrorism and border-related operations.
The proposal comes amid ongoing national discussions about how best to address security challenges across different parts of the country. Supporters of the initiative argue that local policing structures could improve response times and strengthen community-level security management.
The Senate’s approval marks a major legislative milestone in the constitutional amendment process. However, the proposal must still secure the support of the required number of state Houses of Assembly before it can become law.
The bill now advances to the next constitutional stage for further consideration and ratification.