*Bamidele says decentralised policing imperative to tackle worsening insecurity
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has once again, put up a robust defence for the proposed State Police Bill, insisting that the legislation contained comprehensive constitutional safeguards to prevent possible abuse by governors as envisaged in some quarters.
He also said the proposed legislation would provide Nigeria with a more effective security architecture to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Responding to criticisms trailing the constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police formations, Bamidele in a statement in Abuja, argued that the country’s highly centralised policing system had become overstretched and no longer possessed the operational capacity required to respond to the growing security challenges across the federation.
He maintained that the proposed decentralised policing structure was driven by national security imperatives rather than political expediency, stressing that the National Assembly acted after extensive consultations with critical stakeholders across the country.
According to him, Nigeria’s rising population, expanding security threats and the limitations of the existing policing arrangement have made the establishment of state police inevitable if lives and property were to be better protected.
“The present police structure often limits the ability of sub-national authorities to respond effectively and promptly to security challenges within their jurisdictions,” he said.
He added that retaining the current system would only worsen the country’s security situation.
Bamidele argued that the economic and humanitarian costs of insecurity had become unbearable, citing estimates that violent extremism in the North-East alone had inflicted losses running into about $100 billion.
He said continued insecurity could cost the nation substantially more through declining economic activities, destruction of businesses and shrinking national output.
He lamented that beyond the financial implications, insecurity had displaced thousands of families, disrupted education, weakened local economies and forced many citizens into internally displaced persons’ camps, with devastating consequences for national development.
According to him, despite increased annual budgetary allocations to the Nigeria Police, recruitment of more personnel and acquisition of security equipment, the country has yet to record the level of security desired under the present centralised policing framework.
The Senate Leader said the constitutional amendment separated the responsibilities of the proposed federal and state police services to eliminate jurisdictional conflicts.
Under the proposal, he explained, the federal police would retain responsibility for counter-terrorism, border security, organised crime, cybercrime, arms trafficking, protection of federal institutions and other matters affecting national security.
However, the state police would enforce state laws, maintain public order, prevent crime and protect lives and property within their respective states.
To address concerns over possible political misuse of state police, Bamidele said the bill establishes multiple layers of oversight and accountability that would prevent governors from exercising arbitrary control over police operations.
He disclosed that the proposal created an independent State Police Service Commission empowered to regulate state police formations without the approval or control of state governors.
According to him, the commission would make its own operational rules and supervise police administration independently, thereby preventing the use of security agencies for partisan, ethnic, religious or personal interests.
He further explained that the bill guarantees financial autonomy for state police commissions by providing that funds due to them would be paid directly to the commissions, thereby preventing state governments from starving the agencies of operational funds.
Bamidele also dismissed fears that governors would have unfettered powers over commissioners of police.
He explained that although governors may nominate qualified individuals, appointments would require recommendations by the National Police Council and approval by a two-thirds majority of the State House of Assembly before becoming effective.
Similarly, he noted that the removal or suspension of a state commissioner of police would only be possible after due process, recommendation by the National Police Council and approval by two-thirds of the state legislature.
The Senate Leader added that governors would only be permitted to issue lawful written directives on matters of public safety and general policy but would be expressly prohibited from directing police officers to arrest, detain, investigate or deploy against named individuals, political parties or groups outside the provisions of the law.
He also disclosed that the National Assembly would prescribe minimum national policing standards covering recruitment, training, discipline, promotion, use of force, public accountability and operational procedures, while states would only be permitted to enact higher standards without falling below national benchmarks.
Bamidele said federal intervention in any state’s policing operations would not be automatic but would require specific constitutional conditions, including a formal request by the affected state government and written approval by the President before deployment of federal police personnel.
He maintained that such intervention would only occur in situations involving complete breakdown of public order, collapse of state policing capacity, serious violations of fundamental rights, electoral intimidation or threats to national security.
The Senate Leader revealed that the State Police Bill emerged after years of constitutional review and broad consultations involving the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures and the leadership of the Nigeria Police.
He said public hearings conducted across the six geopolitical zones in July 2025 produced overwhelming support for the establishment of state police.