The Nigerian Senate’s passage of the constitutional amendment bill for the establishment of State Police on June 24, 2026, following earlier approval by the House of Representatives, marks a landmark shift in the nation’s security architecture.
The Acting National Chairman of Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, High Chief Peter Ameh said the reform moves Nigeria toward a more decentralized policing system in response to the persistent failures of the centralized model.
Ameh noted that as Nigeria continues to grapple with severe insecurity and banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, farmer-herder clashes, communal violence, and urban crime, the existing Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has been critically overstretched and under-resourced.
According to him, “Despite repeated promises by the Tinubu administration to massively recruit and adequately fund the police, including announcements of recruiting tens of thousands of officers and enhancing the Police Trust Fund. these commitments have not been fulfilled to the required scale or with the urgency needed.”
He stressed”This shortfall has left the federal police ill-equipped to tackle rising threats, underscoring the limitations of relying solely on a centralized force controlled from Abuja.’
The Acting National Chairman of CUPP stated “The introduction of State Police offers opportunity to bridge these gaps by Improving local intelligence and rapid response: State-based forces, recruited locally and familiar with terrain, languages, and specific threats, can deliver more effective community-oriented policing.”
Analysing the Caveats and Concerns, Ameh argued that “while this could be a good reform but the hasty nature leaves more to be desired, it is not a panacea. We caution that poorly implemented State Police could be vulnerable to abuse, including political weaponization, election interference, or suppression of opposition.’
“There are also legitimate worries regarding funding disparities across states, uneven professional standards, and potential coordination challenges between federal and state commands.’ he said.
He “Urge the National Assembly to establish minimum national standards, provide training support, and create sustainable funding mechanisms to assist less-resourced states. while finally delivering on long-standing promises to adequately recruit, equip, and fund the national police.”
Ameh furthercalled on “All stakeholders — civil society organizations, traditional institutions, security experts, and the general public — to actively monitor implementation and demand professionalism, accountability, and respect for human rights.’
He stressed “Tackling insecurity requires more than structural changes. The Tinubu administration must complement this reform with genuine efforts to address root causes — poverty, unemployment, porous borders, weak justice delivery, and corruption and fulfill its obligations to the existing federal police force.”
The senatorial candidate for Kogi East under the platform of the NDC noted “This reform carries both promise and risk. Its ultimate success will depend on transparent, accountable, and professionally executed implementation that prioritizes the safety and well-being of all Nigerians.”
He concluded “We remain committed to constructive engagement with all levels of government to ensure State Police becomes a genuine asset in our collective fight against insecurity.”
