Nigerians have waited years for real police reform, and it looks like the wait might finally end. The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced on Monday that the National Assembly will approve the constitutional amendment for state police before the end of this week. This move could reshape how security is handled across the country, giving states more direct control while keeping federal oversight.
Lawmakers have held intensive meetings with President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General, the Inspector-General of Police, and other stakeholders over the past week. Bamidele, who is also vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, said the final report will be presented and voted on urgently. Once passed by both chambers, it goes to at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification before President Tinubu gives assent.
The proposal includes setting up a National State Police Commission to handle recruitment, training, and discipline so that governors do not misuse the new forces. Supporters argue it will tackle banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes faster because local officers understand their terrain better. Informal outfits like Amotekun in the Southwest, Ebube Agu in the Southeast, and Hisbah in the North have already shown the hunger for localised policing.
Bamidele made it clear that President Tinubu and most governors back the framework. “We’re isolating this from other bills so we can move fast,” he told journalists in Abuja. The urgency comes from rising insecurity that has stretched the federal police thin. A National Conference under former President Goodluck Jonathan had recommended state police years ago, but politics delayed it until now.
Critics still worry that without strong safeguards, state police could be turned against opponents or used to suppress protests. Yet the current draft tries to address those fears through the commission.
For ordinary citizens tired of waiting hours for help during emergencies, this feels like long-overdue progress. If everything goes as planned, the bill could reach state assemblies within days, bringing Nigeria closer to a policing system that matches its federal structure. People are watching closely – this is one reform that could actually change daily life for millions.
