Tinubu Urges Senate to Amend Constitution for State Police to Tackle Security Challenges

President Tinubu Calls for Constitutional Reform to Establish State Police

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally appealed to the leadership of the 10th Nigerian Senate to initiate constitutional amendments that would create a legal basis for the establishment of state police across Nigeria. The call reflects an intensified policy push to decentralise policing powers in response to persistently high levels of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry and insurgency.

Tinubu made the appeal during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, underscoring the urgency of security sector reform as a matter of national governance and public safety.

Constitutional Amendment as a Strategic Security Reform

Under Nigeria’s current constitutional framework, policing is exclusively a federal responsibility under the Nigeria Police Force. Tinubu argued that this centralised structure limits states’ ability to respond rapidly and effectively to localised threats and undermines overall public safety. He told senators that amending the Constitution to allow for state police forces would strengthen grassroots security, facilitate prompt local responses, and enhance community‑focused law enforcement.

“We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make the right response to this cause,” the President stated, urging legislators to begin thinking about how best to incorporate state police into the constitutional framework.

Framing the Debate: Executive-Legislative Harmony

Tinubu used the engagement with senators to emphasise cooperation between the executive branch and the National Assembly. He acknowledged the Senate’s support for prior reforms, highlighting fuel subsidy removal and fiscal policy changes as examples of collaborative governance. The President characterised constitutional amendment for state police as both a security imperative and a demonstration of federal–legislative partnership in addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the President for hosting the interfaith event, framing it as a sign of unity and shared purpose between the legislative and executive branches.

Security Context and Policy Considerations

Nigeria continues to contend with complex and evolving security threats. High‑impact criminality, including insurgency in the Northeast, banditry in the Northwest, and kidnappings in various regions, has underscored limitations in the current federal policing model. Critics of centralisation argue that a one‑size‑fits‑all policing approach limits responsiveness to diverse local security dynamics. Proponents of state police contend that devolved forces could enhance intelligence gathering, deepen community trust, and reduce the burden on federal security agencies.

However, transitioning to state police would require a formal constitutional amendment, a process that mandates approval by a two‑thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and ratification by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly. Such an undertaking implicates broader debates over federalism, resource allocation and institutional oversight.

Divergent Views on State Police Reform

While many security experts and regional leaders support the push for state police, concerns persist regarding potential politicisation, cost implications, and governance of multiple police entities. Observers warn that without clear oversight mechanisms and accountability structures, devolved forces could be vulnerable to misuse by state executives. Comprehensive policy design and legislative safeguards are likely to be central to the debate ahead.

President Tinubu’s renewed appeal to the Senate to amend the Constitution for the legal establishment of state police marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s ongoing discourse on security sector reform. By framing the proposal as both a strategic necessity and an exercise in federal‑legislative collaboration, the request places constitutional amendment at the centre of national security policy. The Senate’s response and the subsequent legislative process will be pivotal in determining whether state police transitions from policy proposal to legal reality.