June 28 (THEWILL) — Nigerians have continued to express concerns about the viability of state police before the 2027 General Election, fearing that state governors may weaponise the institution for political ends.
Among them is the Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party, NDC, Peter Obi. He called for transparency in the legislative and constitutional process involved in the creation of the state police, urging the authorities to wait until after the 2027 election.
Arguing that state policing had become a necessity because of the worsening insecurity in the country, Obi, however, described the passage of the bill as hasty and undemocratic, without input from Nigerians.
Writing on his X handle on Friday, Obi said, “The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people. For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse and complex as Nigeria.
However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns. The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels. The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about its political motives.
According to him, the greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. He said there is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of state governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies and manipulate elections, he said.
He said, “For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite. Based on what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to use state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election.”
Similarly, Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, is of the view that diligence, inclusion and foresight is lacking in the passage of the police bill by the National Assembly on Thursday, June 25, 2026. Also, he questioned the financial readiness of state governments to operate state police, warning that inadequate funding could undermine the effectiveness of decentralised law enforcement in the country.
“Can we say that governors who cannot pay salaries will suddenly have money to fund the police in the state?” he asks.
The human rights lawyer said that running a police force requires substantial investment in communication systems, modern technology, equipment, and personnel welfare, including insurance.
He warned against treating state police as a quick political response to insecurity. He alerted the authorities that underfunded agencies could increase bureaucracy without addressing the root causes of the problem and urged the senior and junior lawmakers to establish strong accountability mechanisms to ensure any new state police structures remain financially sustainable.
National Publicity Secretary of the National Democratic Party, ADC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party was in support of state police but disapproved of what it described as the hurried manner in which it was being implemented.
“The African Democratic Congress supports state police. We have always believed that Nigeria’s policing architecture must evolve to reflect the realities of our federal system. But support for state police cannot be confused with support for the Tinubu administration’s handling of this important national reform,” the statement said, adding that what the Federal Government is doing is “a hurried response to a worsening security crisis, not the careful institutional planning required to build a functional, accountable and effective policing system.” The Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, also condemned the timing of the bill.
Former National Chairman of the Nigeria Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, faulted the intention and process. Taking to his X platform on Thursday, he wrote: They say Nigeria needs state police to work. And to do that, the Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for that purpose in minutes, without publishing the Bill and without a public hearing. The plan is transparent- to establish state police before 2027, before Nigeria decides in 2027 and hand APC governors lawful militias. This is how to make state police work!
For the Executive Director of the Rule of Law Accountability and Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the question is no longer whether Nigeria should have State Police. The real question is whether the proposed constitutional framework can strengthen security without undermining democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Arguing that Nigeria’s current policing structure is a product of history, he submitted that the Nigeria Police Force remains one of the most centralized policing institutions in the world with a slow command structure, disconnected from local realities and unable to respond effectively to rapidly evolving security threats that include banditry, kidnapping, cultism, communal conflicts and separatist-related violence.
“The proposed constitutional amendment recognises this reality. Unlike earlier proposals, however, the 2026 State Police Bill attempts to establish constitutional guardrails intended to prevent abuse. From a human rights and rule of law perspective, several provisions deserve commendation. The Bill rejects absolute state control of policing, and the Bill subjects federal intervention itself to judicial review. Courts may examine the legality, scope, duration, and conduct of such interventions. This helps prevent federal authorities from abusing intervention powers for partisan purposes. Finally, the Bill requires national minimum standards on recruitment, training, vetting, discipline, firearms use, accountability, complaints systems, and public reporting.”
He fears that despite these safeguards, serious concerns remain. Nigeria’s problem has never been merely the absence of institutions. It has often been the capture of institutions, he said, adding that governors already exercise enormous influence over state assemblies, local governments, state electoral commissions, and, in many cases, state judiciaries. He, however, suggested measures to correct some observed shortcomings in the proposed bill.
These include: Independent Police Complaints Authorities at federal and state levels; mandatory public reporting on arrests, detentions, use of force, deaths in custody, and complaints; Constitutional guarantees for diversity and minority representation; Strong whistleblower protections; Reduced gubernatorial influence over State Police Service Commissions and Democratic State Security Boards involving civil society, labour, professional bodies, traditional institutions, women, youth, and community representatives. Other suggestions are robust legislative and judicial oversight; full compliance with international human rights obligations.
The Senate had on Wednesday, June 23, passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police across the federation.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier transmitted the constitutional amendment bill titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police and Related Matters (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1055),” to the Senate as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture and create a legal framework for a dual policing system that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Federal Police.
Under the proposed framework, the Federal Police Service will retain responsibility for federal offences, national security matters, security within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), interstate crimes, and organised criminal activities.
State police services, on the other hand, will be responsible for local law enforcement, maintenance of public order, and the protection of lives and property within their respective states. To address concerns over possible abuse of state police by political authorities, lawmakers incorporated safeguards to protect civil liberties, political freedoms, and democratic rights.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
