ABUJA, Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has asked Nigeria’s Senate to consider a bill that would allow each state to set up its own police force, a move that could significantly change how the country tackles growing insecurity.
The bill, delivered to lawmakers on Tuesday, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution so state governments can run their own police services alongside the federal police. Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the president’s letter during plenary, saying the proposal is part of a wider effort to update Nigeria’s security system.
Tinubu said the bill builds on earlier legislative work and includes measures meant to prevent political misuse. He has long argued that Nigeria’s centralized police structure is overstretched and struggles to respond quickly to local threats, especially in rural or conflict‑prone areas.
Nigeria continues to face a mix of security challenges from Islamist insurgents in the northeast to mass kidnappings in the northwest and separatist tensions in the southeast. With more than 200 million people and roughly 370,000 federal police officers, the country has a significant gap in law‑enforcement coverage. Supporters of state police say local forces could respond faster and understand community needs better. Critics worry that governors might use such forces to pressure political opponents or influence elections.
The Senate is expected to send the bill to its Constitution Review Committee for further study. Any constitutional amendment must pass both chambers of the National Assembly and be approved by at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies. Lawmakers have hinted they may hold an emergency session to speed up the process, reflecting growing agreement that the current security structure needs reform.
Nigeria’s stability is closely watched across West Africa, where several countries are dealing with armed groups and political instability. International partners, including the United States and the European Union, have encouraged Nigeria to strengthen local security capacity, warning that ongoing violence could spill across borders and disrupt trade and humanitarian operations.
Reactions to the bill have been mixed. Several governors and civil society groups welcomed the move, calling it overdue. Human rights organizations urged lawmakers to build strong oversight systems to prevent abuse. Security analysts say the idea could help if implemented carefully, with clear rules and training standards.
The presidency has not given a timeline for when it expects the bill to pass, but officials say the reform is a priority.
