Follow Us on Google
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The Presidency has pledged to introduce safeguards against the use of state police by governors to intimidate political opponents or suppress vulnerable communities, even as the Ebonyi State House of Assembly joined other state legislatures in approving the constitutional amendment for the establishment of decentralised policing in Nigeria.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, who raised concerns over possible political manipulation and undue influence by wealthy individuals, said the proposed National Policing Bill would provide enforceable limits on police powers, independent oversight and mechanisms for citizens to seek redress against abuse.
The development came as all 24 members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment on Tuesday, adding to the growing support for state police after the required two-thirds of the country’s 36 state legislatures had approved the measure.
Gbajabiamila, who chairs the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, said the proposed reform must not create opportunities for governors to deploy security personnel against political opponents or allow businesses and wealthy individuals to influence criminal investigations through financial contributions.
Speaking during a plenary session on “Security, Stability and Economic Resilience” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on Monday, he acknowledged widespread concerns over the possibility of politically motivated policing under the proposed decentralised system.
“The concern that police powers could be used against political opponents or vulnerable communities is serious. Our answer is to place enforceable limits on those powers and provide remedies when they are abused.
“A citizen’s entitlement to protection cannot depend on whom he supports or where she comes from.”
The Chief of Staff maintained that the proposed framework would ensure that state police remained accountable to the law rather than to governors, political interests or private patrons, stressing that professional standards and effective oversight were essential to preventing abuse.
He also warned that inadequate funding could undermine the independence of state police, particularly where governments failed to pay salaries regularly, sustain training or provide adequate operational resources. According to him, states seeking to establish police formations must demonstrate financial readiness beyond the initial purchase of vehicles, uniforms and equipment, as poorly funded security institutions could become susceptible to corruption and manipulation. “Financial readiness is equally important. A state taking on policing must be able to sustain the service after the initial purchase of vehicles and uniforms.
“Regular pay and continued training are essential to professional conduct. An institution that cannot meet its obligations to its officers becomes vulnerable to private patrons and unlawful demands on the public,” he said.
Gbajabiamila further cautioned against allowing private sector contributions to compromise police independence, warning that businesses or wealthy individuals must not be permitted to purchase influence over investigations, determine operational priorities or secure preferential treatment.
He insisted that private sector participation in funding state police must be governed by transparent arrangements, published accounts and independent scrutiny.
“Public funding must remain dependable, and a donation must never purchase influence over an investigation or preferential treatment. The object is to strengthen a public service on which every citizen can rely,” he declared.
The Chief of Staff consequently challenged the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), chambers of commerce and business associations to develop a comprehensive financing and implementation blueprint for the proposed policing system, including sustainable funding arrangements, accountable partnerships and institutional safeguards.
He said businesses had a direct interest in effective policing because insecurity had increased operating costs, disrupted supply chains, delayed investments and forced companies to abandon otherwise viable business locations.
Gbajabiamila urged the organised private sector to engage governors and lawmakers during the legislative process, stressing that the proposed reform required financing arrangements capable of sustaining police services without compromising their independence.
Providing an update on the constitutional amendment, he disclosed that 24 State Houses of Assembly had approved the proposal as of October 23, meeting the two-thirds threshold prescribed under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He said the Presidential Working Group had also submitted the draft National Policing Bill and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice on October 19 for legislative review and validation.
The ministry is expected to return the reviewed bills by October 30, after which the working group will give them final consideration before presenting its recommendations to President Tinubu for approval and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
The constitutional amendment, which had earlier secured the approval of both chambers of the National Assembly, is also expected to proceed through the remaining legislative processes before transmission for presidential assent.
Other News
Gbajabiamila explained that the proposed framework would establish a dual policing structure, allowing states willing and financially capable of maintaining their own police services to assume greater responsibility for local security while retaining a federal police institution to handle interstate crime and specialised national security challenges.
He said the reform was intended to address an existing arrangement under which state governments were expected to respond to the consequences of insecurity without corresponding authority to organise policing within their territories.
“Bringing policing closer to the communities it serves can improve local intelligence and shorten the time between a call for help and an effective response,” he said.
The Chief of Staff disclosed that the proposed legislation had benefited from consultations with state governments, security institutions, members of the public and a Policy Advisory Committee drawn from the public and private sectors.
He acknowledged that Nigerians continued to face kidnapping and violent attacks despite government investments in security, stressing that the administration’s performance must ultimately be assessed against the protection available to citizens.
“Nigerians living with the threat of abduction or attack are entitled to judge us by their own safety. We recognise the distance between an improvement in national capacity and dependable protection in every community,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, at its plenary in Abakaliki on Tuesday, unanimously approved the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for the establishment of State Police Services across the federation.
The approval followed deliberations and consultations with constituents, with all 24 lawmakers voting in favour of the proposal.
Speaker of the Assembly, Moses Ije Odunwa, who presided over the sitting, said the decision reflected the commitment of the legislature to strengthening the country’s security architecture, improving criminal intelligence gathering and bringing law enforcement closer to communities.
Odunwa maintained that the demand for state police had remained a longstanding concern among Ebonyi residents, recalling that the state had formally expressed support for decentralised policing during the public hearing organised by the National Assembly on constitutional review.
“The passage of this bill reflects the wishes of Ebonyians who desire a policing system that is closer to the people and more responsive to local security challenges,” he declared.
The Speaker said the unanimous approval underscored the Assembly’s determination to support constitutional reforms capable of strengthening the protection of lives and property, particularly in communities facing security challenges.
Contributing to the debate, Leader of the House, Kingsley Ikoro, said the establishment of state police would increase security manpower and improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies to tackle crime at the grassroots.
He argued that decentralised policing would enable states to respond more effectively to local security threats while improving intelligence gathering and coordination with communities.
Other lawmakers, including Victor Chidi Nwoke, representing Abakaliki North Constituency; Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali, representing Afikpo North East Constituency; and Chief Whip Nkemka Okoro Onumah, supported the proposal, stressing the need for a policing arrangement that would respond more promptly to the security needs of residents.
Following the unanimous vote, Odunwa directed the Clerk of the Assembly, Uche Edene, to transmit the resolution formally to the National Assembly.
Ebonyi’s approval followed the endorsement of the proposed constitutional amendment by Ondo State House of Assembly on Monday, further broadening legislative support after the required 24-state threshold had already been attained.
The latest endorsements come as the Senate expresses confidence that legislation establishing state police can be completed before the end of the year.
However, the reform will still require the conclusion of the constitutional amendment process and enactment of the supporting legislation before state police services can be formally established.
Gbajabiamila maintained that the government was committed to ensuring that the new policing system, when established, would combine improved local security with sustainable financing, professional standards, independent oversight and enforceable protections against political interference and private manipulation.
