Inside state police bill: Governors to appoint police commissioners, FG to fund operations

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a landmark constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, in what is seen as one of the most significant restructuring moves in the country’s internal security framework in recent years.

The bill, which proposes wide-ranging amendments to the 1999 Constitution, sets out a legal and institutional framework for the creation, funding, regulation and operation of state police services, while retaining the federal police as a national security institution.

Lawmakers say the proposal is aimed at addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, especially the rising wave of kidnappings, banditry and violent crimes that have stretched federal policing capacity.

Under the proposed arrangement, governors will have the authority to appoint commissioners of police for their respective states, subject to recommendations from a National Police Council and confirmation by state assemblies. Each state will also establish a State Police Service Commission to oversee recruitment, discipline and administration.

However, the bill makes it clear that state police cannot be created arbitrarily. The National Assembly will prescribe minimum standards for structure, training, operations and accountability, and only states that meet these benchmarks will be allowed to operationalise their police services.

This means state governments will not have unrestricted powers, as all state police formations must comply with national standards to ensure uniformity across the federation.

The bill also retains the federal police, which will continue to operate nationwide and carry out federal policing responsibilities. The federal force may also intervene in states under limited conditions, such as a breakdown of law and order or at the request of a governor, but such intervention must receive approval from the National Police Council.

One of the most consequential provisions is the restriction on federal interference in state policing. Under the amendment, federal authorities will no longer have routine control over state police operations, deployments or disciplinary matters, except in constitutionally defined emergencies.

Governors are also empowered to issue lawful directives to state police commissioners. However, where such directives are considered unlawful or inconsistent with policing standards, commissioners may escalate the matter to the National Police Council, whose decision will be final.

At the federal level, the President will continue to appoint the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), subject to advice from the National Police Council and confirmation by the National Assembly. The IGP will remain the head of the federal police structure and oversee national deployments.

To prevent arbitrary removal of top police officials, the bill introduces stricter safeguards. The IGP can only be removed on specified grounds such as misconduct, criminal conviction or incapacity, and only with approval from the National Assembly. Similar protections apply to state commissioners of police, who can only be removed through a structured process involving state assemblies.

The amendment also introduces federal grants for state police, allowing the central government to provide financial support to states that may struggle with funding, subject to approval by the National Assembly.

In a bid to strengthen oversight, the bill replaces the existing Nigeria Police Council with an expanded National Police Council, which will include representatives from the federal police, state attorneys-general, human rights bodies, professional associations such as the NBA and NUJ, labour unions, traditional rulers and retired police officers.

A parallel structure, the State Police Service Commission, will also be created in each state, involving civil society actors and professional bodies in recruitment and disciplinary processes for lower-ranking officers.

The bill further allows states limited access to modern policing tools, including biometric data, forensic records and criminal intelligence systems, while maintaining federal coordination over national security databases.

Lawmakers say the reform seeks to strike a balance between decentralised policing and national unity, ensuring that while states gain more control over internal security, the federal government retains oversight over standards and coordination.

The bill now moves to the Senate for concurrence before it can proceed to state assemblies for approval, as required for constitutional amendments.

If eventually adopted, the reform would mark a major shift in Nigeria’s security architecture, creating a dual policing system that could redefine how law enforcement operates across the federation.

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