Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has assured Nigerians that the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police contains strong safeguards to prevent political interference and abuse by state authorities.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at the National Security Roundtable during the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, Abbas said the House would subject the executive bill to rigorous scrutiny to ensure it strengthens security while protecting democracy and the rule of law.
He described the proposal as a landmark constitutional reform, noting that it is the first time a sitting President has formally transmitted an executive bill seeking to create state police.
Abbas said President Bola Tinubu’s move had shifted the long-running debate on police decentralization from discussion to legislative action after years of unsuccessful attempts by previous administrations.
Addressing concerns that governors could misuse state police for political purposes, the Speaker said the bill was designed with oversight measures to guarantee accountability and prevent the creation of private security forces controlled by political interests.
He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, violent farmer-herder clashes and attacks on schools, require a more responsive policing structure driven by local intelligence.
According to Abbas, the proposed amendment would transform the Nigeria Police Force into the Federal Police Service, while allowing states that meet the required conditions to establish their own police services through legislation by their Houses of Assembly.
He said state police operations would only begin after meeting national standards set by the National Assembly, while the Federal Police Service would retain responsibility for terrorism, border security, federal offenses and policing the Federal Capital Territory.
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The Speaker added that state Commissioners of Police would be appointed through recommendations of the National Police Council, subject to confirmation by state legislatures, and could only be removed through a two-thirds majority vote for just cause.
He also said the Federal Police Service would have the constitutional authority to intervene where a state police service collapses or is unlawfully deployed, subject to legislative notification and judicial oversight.
Abbas called for a phased implementation of state policing, warning against launching police services across all 36 states without adequate preparation and sustainable funding.
He stressed that states must have the financial capacity to maintain professional police organizations, adding that underfunded security outfits could become a threat to the citizens they are meant to protect.
Citing lessons from federal systems such as Germany, Canada, India and the United States, Abbas said effective decentralized policing requires clear national standards, coordinated intelligence and strong accountability structures.
He also called for a national criminal and biometric database, improved intelligence sharing, stronger border security and better welfare and equipment for security personnel.
The debate over state police has remained a major constitutional issue in Nigeria for more than two decades, with supporters arguing that decentralization would improve security response, while critics fear possible political misuse.
Tinubu’s transmission of the executive constitutional amendment bill to the National Assembly in 2026 marks the first formal move by a sitting administration to pursue the creation of state police through constitutional reform.
Abbas said the House would ensure the final legislation balances the need for improved security with the protection of democratic institutions and citizens’ rights.