Senate passes State Police Bill, grants governors power to appoint Commissioners

The Senate on Wednesday passed the State Police Bill, marking a significant step towards the decentralisation of policing in Nigeria and potentially altering the country’s security architecture.

The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police and Related Matters (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1055)”, was approved during consideration by the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Under the new arrangement, the Federal Police Service will be responsible for federal offences, security within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, national security matters, interstate crimes and organised criminal activities.

The passage of the bill followed extensive deliberations by lawmakers, who argued that the country’s growing security challenges require a more localised approach to law enforcement and intelligence gathering.

Details later…