Nigeria approves state police forces to fight insecurity

Twenty-eight states approve police reform

Nigeria's 28 state legislatures approved a constitutional reform allowing individual states to establish their own police forces alongside the federal police based in Abuja.

Why local police matter

The goal is to improve security by putting officers on the ground who know local communities and speak their languages, addressing a long-standing demand from Nigerians.

Nigeria's police shortage

Nigeria has fewer than four hundred thousand officers for a population of over two hundred million, leaving areas plagued by insecurity with very weak police presence.

Federal police keep national role

The federal police will retain responsibility for national security matters and can intervene when a state cannot manage a crisis or serious misconduct occurs in its police force.

Safeguards against governor abuse

The Senate prohibited governors from using police to serve partisan, ethnic, religious or group interests, or to target political opponents, with a new National Police Council to oversee compliance.

“The Senate has put in place several safeguards to prevent governors from abusing their powers.”

Risk of replicating federal flaws

The current federal police system suffers from corruption and lack of oversight. If states import this model directly, they will multiply these flaws at the state level.

“It suffers from numerous problems with corruption and a lack of oversight.”

Reform awaits presidential approval

President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the reform into law shortly. Each state wishing to create its own police force will then adopt legislation to govern its operations.