State police: Federal force can intervene over electoral intimidation, Senate

Nigeria's Senate has passed a bill to establish state police forces, asserting that constitutional safeguards will permit federal police intervention in instances of electoral intimidation, serious human rights violations, and threats to national security. This move aims to address concerns that state governors might misuse the proposed policing system for political ends.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, emphasizing that 84 out of 109 senators supported the legislation. He stated that the bill clearly delineates responsibilities between federal and state police to minimize conflicts and enhance security coordination. The federal police will retain authority over federal institutions, the Federal Capital Territory, counter-terrorism, organized crime, cybercrime, border security, and interstate criminal activities. State police will focus on enforcing state laws, maintaining public order, and protecting lives and property within their jurisdictions.

Bamidele further explained that the bill incorporates several measures to prevent governors from abusing state police powers. While governors may nominate commissioners of police, these appointments require recommendations from the National Police Council and approval from a two-thirds majority of the state House of Assembly. The National Police Council will oversee policy, funding, and appointments, and an independent State Police Service Commission will regulate state police operations, independent of state governors' direct control.

The bill outlines specific circumstances under which the federal police may intervene. Bamidele noted that such intervention is permissible only in exceptional situations, including an outright breakdown of public order, the inability of a state police service to function, serious abuses of fundamental rights, partisan or electoral intimidation, and significant strain on national security. The Senate aims for this decentralization to strengthen grassroots security while maintaining federal oversight and preventing misuse of power.

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The intervention can only be granted when there is an outright breakdown of public order; where a state police service is incapable of functioning; where there are serious abuses of fundamental rights; where there is partisan or electoral intimidation; and when national security is heavily strained and threatened.