The Presidency has said Nigeria is making significant progress toward the establishment of state police, with a constitutional amendment expected in the coming weeks following months of consultations among key stakeholders.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists after a high-level consultative meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Gbajabiamila, the process of creating state police has gained substantial traction over the past three to four months, following directives from President Tinubu to explore a workable framework for decentralised policing.
He explained that discussions are now focused on finalising the constitutional amendment required to establish state police, noting that enabling legislation would follow once the amendment is secured.
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction,” Gbajabiamila said.
He added that national discussions have shifted from debating whether state police should exist to determining the most effective legal and institutional structure for its operation.
Gbajabiamila also revealed that President Tinubu would receive a comprehensive report detailing the outcome of the consultations and recommendations reached by stakeholders.
The meeting is part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to develop a framework aimed at improving internal security, strengthening intelligence gathering, and empowering state governments to respond more effectively to security threats.
Among officials present at the meeting were Jibrin Barau, Benjamin Kalu, Lateef Fagbemi, and Kayode Egbetokun.
Calls for the creation of state police have intensified in recent months amid growing insecurity across the country, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would improve grassroots security and enhance the protection of lives and property nationwide.
