State police constitutional amendments nearing final stage, says Presidency

The Presidency has announced that significant progress has been recorded in the process of establishing state police, with constitutional amendments required for its implementation expected to be concluded soon.

Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, disclosed this on Thursday following a consultative meeting on state police held at the State House in Abuja.

He explained that deliberations on the proposed framework began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Tinubu and have now advanced to the stage where constitutional amendments are being finalised.

Gbajabiamila noted that establishing state police involves complex constitutional and legal issues that cannot be rushed. He expressed optimism that the amendment process would be concluded shortly, after which the details would be made public.

According to him, attention is currently focused on the constitutional amendments, while the enabling legislation would follow afterwards.

The push for state police has gained momentum due to persistent security challenges, including banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping. Critics of the current centralised system argue that the Nigeria Police Force is overstretched and disconnected from local realities.

Some states have established complementary security networks, such as Amotekun in the South-West, though these operate without full constitutional backing.

Gbajabiamila stated that there is now a growing national consensus on the need for state police, with discussions shifting from whether to adopt the initiative to how best to develop the appropriate legal and institutional framework.

He added that President Tinubu, who has repeatedly advocated for state police as part of efforts to strengthen national security, would receive a comprehensive report on the outcome of the meeting.

The consultative meeting was attended by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, among others.