The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has defended the proposed State Police Bill, assuring Nigerians that the legislation contains constitutional safeguards to prevent state police services from being abused by governors or other political actors.
Abbas gave the assurance on Wednesday at the National Security Roundtable held as part of activities marking the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja.
Addressing concerns that state police could be used as private security outfits, the Speaker said the proposed constitutional amendment was designed to ensure accountability and prevent political interference.
According to him, governors would not have exclusive powers to appoint or remove state Commissioners of Police. He explained that appointments would be made on the recommendation of the National Police Council and subject to confirmation by the relevant State House of Assembly, while removal would require the support of two-thirds of lawmakers and be based on proven misconduct.
Abbas also said the proposed legislation would empower the Federal Police to intervene where a state police service becomes compromised, but only under clearly defined constitutional conditions and subject to judicial oversight.
He added that the proposal would not permit the Federal Government to dissolve a state police service or suspend elected state institutions, describing the provisions as safeguards consistent with Nigeria’s federal system.
The Speaker commended President Bola Tinubu for transmitting an Executive Bill on state police to the National Assembly, describing it as a significant step towards addressing longstanding security challenges.
He argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing structure was no longer sufficient to tackle crimes such as banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts and attacks on schools, noting that local policing would improve security through better knowledge of communities.
Abbas explained that the proposed amendment would redesignate the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Police Service, while allowing states that meet constitutional requirements to establish their own police services.
He said no state police service would commence operations until the relevant State House of Assembly enacted enabling legislation and the state satisfied operational standards to be prescribed by the National Assembly.
According to him, the Federal Police Service would retain responsibility for terrorism, border security, federal offences and policing the Federal Capital Territory, while state police services would focus on maintaining law and order within their respective jurisdictions.
He added that state police services would be overseen by independent State Police Service Commissions, receive direct funding and operate under strict prohibitions against the use of police powers for political, ethnic or religious purposes.
Drawing comparisons with federal policing systems in countries including Germany, Canada, India and the United States, Abbas said effective decentralised policing depends on national standards, intelligence sharing and strong accountability mechanisms.
He, however, said lawmakers would continue to examine issues relating to funding, operational standards, intelligence coordination and the integration of existing vigilante and community security groups before the legislation is passed.
The Speaker also advocated a phased implementation of the reform, beginning with the enactment of a National Minimum Standards Act before any state establishes its own police service.
He further called for a sustainable funding framework and broader security reforms, including improved intelligence sharing, a national criminal and biometric database, stronger border security, greater use of technology and improved welfare for security personnel.
Other participants at the roundtable also advocated reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
The House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, called for constitutional roles for traditional rulers and greater involvement of community-based organisations in intelligence gathering.
Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), urged greater emphasis on intelligence-led operations, institutional collaboration and the responsible use of technology in addressing security challenges.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani advocated intelligence-driven policing, joint security operations and increased deployment of artificial intelligence, biometric systems and forensic technology in crime prevention.
The Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Brig.-Gen. Yahaya Abubakar (retd.), also endorsed the establishment of state police, describing it as essential for strengthening community security.
The United Kingdom’s Head of Development Cooperation, Ms Cynthia Rowe, welcomed the ongoing consultations on the proposed reform, saying wider engagement with civil society would enhance democratic governance and public confidence in the initiative.
