Nigeria’s long-debated plan to decentralise policing has moved a step closer to reality after lawmakers advanced a constitutional amendment that would allow states to establish and operate their own police forces.
The proposal, which enjoys support across party lines, seeks to address persistent security challenges ranging from banditry and kidnappings to communal violence and insurgency.
If approved by at least two-thirds of the country’s state assemblies, the reform will create a dual policing structure where state police operate alongside the federal police.
Supporters argue that locally controlled police forces will improve intelligence gathering, response times, and community engagement, particularly in rural areas where security threats often escalate before federal intervention arrives.
However, critics warn that governors could misuse state police for political purposes, while financially weaker states may struggle to fund and maintain professional security institutions.
Security experts say the debate reflects growing public frustration over rising insecurity and increasing pressure on authorities to adopt new approaches to law enforcement.
As state assemblies prepare to consider the amendment, many Nigerians view the proposal as one of the most significant security reforms in decades.
