State police: Constitutional amendment nears completion, says Presidency

The Presidency has declared that a constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria is nearing completion. This significant development follows months of consultations involving the executive branch, the National Assembly, and security authorities, which have reportedly gained considerable traction.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, briefed State House correspondents after a consultative meeting on state police convened in Abuja. He stated that the enabling legislation to operationalize the new structure would be introduced immediately after the constitutional amendment is finalized. "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," Gbajabiamila said.

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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.

The meeting included key figures such as the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu. The discussions have reportedly moved beyond the question of whether state police should exist, focusing instead on the legal and institutional architecture required for its effective operation. President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive a comprehensive report on the outcome of the meeting.

The establishment of state police has been a contentious constitutional issue since 1999, with northern governors and some civil society groups previously expressing reservations about potential abuses by state executives. However, President Tinubu has strongly advocated for its creation, citing the worsening security situation across the country, including insurgency in the North-East and banditry in the North-West.

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Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that. Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter.