Framework for State Police Near Completion, Says Presidency
By Auwal Abdullah
The Presidency has announced significant progress toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria, revealing that a constitutional amendment to pave the way for its implementation is expected soon.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday after a consultative meeting convened by the Presidency at the State House in Abuja on state police.
Speaking to State House correspondents, Gbajabiamila said discussions on the proposed state police framework began several months ago following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have since gained substantial momentum.
According to him, the process requires careful consideration of constitutional and legal issues, making it impossible to implement hastily.
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by the president. 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,” he said.
Gbajabiamila expressed optimism that the constitutional amendment would be introduced shortly, adding that details of the amendment would be made public once the process advances further.
He explained that current discussions are focused on constitutional changes needed to create state police, while the enabling legislation would be developed afterward.
The Chief of Staff noted that there is now broad national support for the initiative, stressing that discussions have shifted from whether state police should exist to determining the most effective legal and institutional framework for its operation.
He added that President Tinubu, a longstanding advocate of state police, would receive a comprehensive report on the outcome of the consultations.
The meeting formed part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to develop a workable framework for state policing aimed at strengthening internal security, improving local intelligence gathering and enhancing the capacity of state governments to tackle emerging security threats.
Among those in attendance were Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu and Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi.
