Nigeria’s state governors called this week for the establishment of armed, adequately funded state police forces backed by full constitutional powers, as the Senate resumed deliberations on the constitutional amendment required to decentralise the country’s policing architecture.
Governors said they were not interested in a watered-down version of state police that lacked operational capacity. They demanded that the amendment guarantee state police forces the power to conduct independent operations, maintain intelligence networks, and recruit officers with knowledge of local terrains and communities.
Governors Seek Sustainable Funding Framework
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A key demand from governors was the establishment of a dedicated and predictable funding framework for state police, either through a constitutional allocation from the Federation Account or through state government appropriations backed by federal matching grants. Several governors said underfunding had been a historic weakness of previous community policing efforts and must not be repeated with state police.
The Nigerian Governors Forum submitted a position paper to the Senate constitutional review committee outlining the conditions under which state governments could effectively manage and sustain police forces at the sub-national level. The paper called for clear oversight mechanisms to prevent governors from deploying state police against political opponents, responding to a concern consistently raised by civil society groups and minority communities.
Senate Targets Year-End Completion
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Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu reiterated this week that the upper chamber was committed to completing the constitutional amendment before year-end, saying the Ekiti election, Plateau killings, Zamfara abductions, and the ongoing Oyo school rescue operation had all reinforced the urgency of the reform. Furthermore, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila said the executive would work hand in hand with the legislature to see the bill through quickly. Consequently, the state police amendment entered its most decisive legislative phase this week, with governors, the executive, and the Senate broadly aligned on the need for urgent delivery.
