Tag: State Police

“State Police need first-line funding to block Govs.’ control” – Senate leader

Aminu Imam
Senate leader on state police

Leader of the 10th Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Wednesday, said funding of the proposed state police services should be established as a first-line charge in the 1999 Constitution, stressing that it is the only way to protect it from possible interference by state governors.  He insisted that financial autonomy was key to prevention of political interference and protection of the integrity of the new policing structure. Similarly, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said a proper funding mechanism must be well spelt out before the establishment…

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H’Reps withdraws own State Police Bill, adopts Tinubu’s proposal

Aminu Imam
H'Reps withdraws State Police Bill

The 10th House of Representatives yesterday withdrew its proposed constitutional amendment Bill seeking to establish state police, opting instead to proceed with an Executive-sponsored version transmitted by President Bola Tinubu. The decision marks a significant shift in the National Assembly’s approach to the long-debated issue of state policing, with lawmakers prioritising the Presidency’s proposal as the principal legislative framework for establishing state police across the country. During plenary, the Executive-sponsored Bill successfully passed its first and second readings before being referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed…

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Ex-Israeli PM backs state police, urges FG to create Federal Rapid Response Force

Aminu Imam
Ehud Barak on state police

Former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has thrown his weight behind Nigeria’s proposed state police system, saying it can strengthen security if backed by strong legal safeguards, effective federal oversight and a centrally controlled rapid response police force. Speaking yesterday during a town hall meeting on state police and in a televised interview, Barak said decentralised policing would enable security agencies to respond more effectively to local threats while allowing the Federal Government to intervene whenever state police face challenges beyond their capacity. He proposed the establishment of a federally…

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State Police: “Federal force can intervene over electoral intimidation” – Senate

Aminu Imam
Senate in State Police

The 10th Senate has said the proposed State Police Bill contains constitutional safeguards that would allow the federal police to intervene in cases of electoral intimidation, serious human rights violations and threats to national security, dismissing concerns that governors could abuse the proposed policing system for political purposes. The upper chamber also defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, revealing that 84 of the 109 senators voted in support of the legislation during its clause-by-clause consideration, describing the outcome as…

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“State police won’t solve insecurity” – Buba Galadima

Aminu Imam
Galadima state police

…Says it could be weaponised against opposition A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has cautioned against the proposed creation of state police, arguing that the initiative would neither address Nigeria’s security challenges nor strengthen democracy. Galadima, speaking during an interview on a television programme yesterday, said the proposed policing structure could instead be used by political officeholders to intimidate opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election. He was reacting to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, which was…

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Ndume backs state police, says senators are overpaid, amid security funding concerns

Aminu Imam
Ndume backs state police

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno-South senatorial district, has expressed support for the establishment of state police in Nigeria but insisted that critical legal, operational and funding issues must be addressed before the initiative can be successfully implemented. The lawmaker also called for a review of government spending, admitting that members of the National Assembly are overpaid while security agencies remain underfunded. Speaking during a television interview on Friday, Ndume said the creation of state police could help tackle insecurity across the country, especially given the shortage of personnel in the…

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State Police Bill: “Reform hasty, amid failure to strengthen NPF” – CUPP

Aminu Imam
CUPP laments

The Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) has criticised the Federal Government over the passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, describing the move as a hasty reform in the face of what it called the administration’s failure to adequately strengthen the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Recall that the Senate passed the bill on June 24, 2026, following its earlier approval by the House of Representatives, paving the way for a decentralised policing system aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the current centralised structure. Speaking with newsmen in Abuja,…

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“Govs. must be held accountable if insecurity persists under state police” – Uba Sani

Aminu Imam
Uba Sani on insecurity

Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has stated that state governments should be held responsible if insecurity continues after the establishment of state police. Responding to a question  during a television programme on accountability, the governor acknowledged that responsibility would shift closer to the states. When asked: “If insecurity continues after state police becomes operational, who do you think we should blame? Who do you think Nigerians should hold accountable?”, Uba Sani’s response made it clear that governors cannot shy away from responsibility under such a system. He emphasized…

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Senate passes state police Bill

Aminu Imam
Senate passes state police Bill

…Empowers Govs. to appoint police commissioners, give directives The 10th Senate yesterday passed the a Bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria. The upper chamber approved the Bill after considering the report of its Committee on the Review of the Constitution, presented by its chairman, Barau Jibrin.  The Bill’s clauses were considered at the Committee of the Whole before its final passage. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage of the Bill after more than two-thirds of the senators voted in support via a manual voting process in…

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Tinubu sends State Police Bill to Senate

Aminu Imam
Tinubu sends State Police Bill

…As Govs. seek wider security powers President Bola Tinubu has formally transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate, marking a major step toward restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture as state governors push for broader powers and a sustainable funding framework for the proposed policing system. The Bill seeks to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to create a legal basis for state police formations across the federation, a move widely seen as one of the most significant security reforms since Nigeria’s…

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