Senate Passes Bill to Federalize State Police Service

***Replaces NPF with Federal, State Police Services

***Shifts Nigeria from unitary to federal policing model

By Henry Umoru, Assistant Politics Editor

ABUJA — In a session that will reshape the country’s geopolitical and security framework, the Senate yesterday approved a constitutional amendment bill that establishes state police forces in all 36 states of the federation.

The bill, forwarded to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, formally ends the long‑standing unitary structure of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and introduces a dual system comprising the Federal Police Service and State Police Services.

The vote was disrupted for more than 30 minutes when the chamber’s electronic voting system failed, forcing lawmakers to revert to a manual count. All 88 senators present cast their votes by a physical show of hands.

Technical staff worked quickly to restore the electronic portals while the chamber remained tense. With time running out on legislation that had stalled in previous assemblies since the return to civilian rule in 1999, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, moved to abandon the faulty technology. The motion was seconded by Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South, allowing the historic manual vote to proceed.

Power stripped, safeguards installed

To address concerns that state governors might weaponise local police against political rivals or minority groups, the bill (Sixth Alteration Bill, 2026, SB. 1055) introduces strict constitutional safeguards and accountability measures.

According to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North, no state may establish a police force unless the National Assembly certifies that it meets rigorous “national minimum standards.”

Under the new Section 214, the Federal Police Service retains exclusive control over major security domains, ensuring the federal government remains the ultimate guardian of national territorial integrity. The Federal Police will have sole jurisdiction over national security, terrorism, cybercrime, inter‑state crimes, arms trafficking, and international crime syndicates, as well as policing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and federal institutions.

The bill clarifies that while state police will handle domestic public safety, they are barred from exercising police powers beyond their state borders unless expressly authorized by an Act of the National Assembly.

Section 214: Dual policing legal blueprint

Section 214 states: “(1) There shall be a police service for the Federation to be known as the Federal Police Service. (2) There shall be established for each State of the Federation a State Police Service subject to this Constitution and an Act of the National Assembly. (3) No State Police Service shall commence operational policing unless it has been established by a Law of the House of Assembly of the State and certified as meeting national minimum standards in the manner prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.”

How FG can seize state police

A key debate point is the federal government’s veto power to override state control. The legislation allows the President to bypass state governors and temporarily assume direct operational command of any State Police Service under strict exceptional conditions.

Triggers for a federal takeover include: (a) an actual or imminent breakdown of public order that the State Police Service cannot contain; (c) serious administrative, financial, operational or other incapacity; and (d) substantial evidence that the State Police Service is used for egregious violations of fundamental rights, partisan intimidation, ethnic or religious persecution, or unlawful obstruction of the Constitution.

The bill requires that such interventions be authorized in writing by the President, specifying the grounds, territory, and duration. A formal notice must be sent to the affected State Governor, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the National Police Council, and the National Assembly within 48 hours of execution.

Interventions cannot exceed a period set by the National Assembly and must be validated by a Senate resolution. The legality, scope, and duration of any takeover remain subject to judicial review.

Heavyweights storm hallowed chamber

The debate’s significance drew senior political figures to the Senate gallery, filling the chamber as lawmakers discussed the bill’s principles.

Present to observe the vote were Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State. They were joined by a delegation of state Attorneys‑General from Anambra, Akwa Ibom, and Ondo, and the Director‑General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Abdullateef Shittu.

Lead debate

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele argued that the highly centralised federal system was overstretched and ill‑equipped to address localised threats such as banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes. “By establishing concurrent jurisdiction through the formal creation of state police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police, this decentralised framework aligns with the core principles of true federalism. It empowers subnational authorities with local knowledge and cultural competence necessary for rapid response and effective intelligence gathering,” Bamidele said.

Guarding against political abuse

To protect both policing tiers from political manipulation, the bill introduces a rigid tenure system and strict removal guidelines for police chiefs.

The Federal Police Service will be headed by an Inspector‑General of Police appointed by the President on the advice of the National Police Council, subject to Senate confirmation. The State Police Service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the National Police Council, subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.

Neither the IGP nor a state Commissioner of Police can be arbitrarily suspended or removed by executive authorities. Removal can occur only for “stated cause” following a fair hearing and must be approved by a two‑thirds majority resolution of either the Senate (for the IGP) or the respective State House of Assembly (for a state Commissioner).

Section 215(7) further prohibits political directives: “No direction under this section shall require the arrest, detention, investigation, non‑investigation, deployment or use of force against any named person, political party, association or class of persons except in accordance with law; or require a police service to suppress lawful political activity, discriminate against any person or group, or enforce the law for a partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional or personal purpose.”