ABUJA, Nigeria — Speakers of All Progressives Congress-controlled state Houses of Assembly have commended the passage of the State Police Bill, pledging their support for its implementation and promising robust safeguards against potential abuse by political actors.
The speakers, who converged on Abuja on Thursday for a meeting of the APC Speakers Forum, described the bill as a landmark reform that would significantly enhance Nigeria’s security architecture and bring law enforcement closer to communities across the country. They noted that the bill, which has been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and now awaits ratification by state legislatures, represents a historic shift away from the decades-old unitary policing system.
Addressing concerns about the potential for governors to misuse state police for political purposes, the speakers stressed that adequate safeguards have been built into the legislation to prevent abuse. They noted that the bill establishes State Police Service Commissions responsible for recruitment and oversight, while governors would be prohibited from directing state police authorities to target specific individuals or political parties.
The speakers also highlighted the Federal Police Service’s authority to intervene in state policing under exceptional circumstances, subject to presidential authorisation, Senate oversight, and judicial review. This layered accountability mechanism, they argued, would ensure that state police forces remain professional and apolitical.
One speaker noted that the state police model would improve intelligence gathering, reduce response times to security emergencies, and enhance community participation in maintaining law and order. He added that security challenges vary across states, and a decentralised policing system would allow each state to address its unique security concerns more effectively.
The APC Speakers Forum also called on their colleagues in other states to expedite the ratification process to ensure that the constitutional amendment becomes law in time to impact security operations ahead of the 2027 general elections. They emphasised that the bill requires ratification by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before it can be signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The Forum expressed confidence that the state police bill would enjoy widespread support across party lines, noting that security is a non-partisan issue that affects all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation. They urged the public to support the reform and to hold their leaders accountable for the effective implementation of the new policing framework.
As the ratification process continues across the country, the APC speakers have pledged to champion the implementation of state police in their respective states and to work with governors to ensure the smooth transition to the new policing model. For now, the Forum’s endorsement represents a significant boost for the reform, which is widely seen as one of the most consequential constitutional amendments in Nigeria’s history.
