State police: FG begins constitution amendment engagements amid security concerns

The Federal Government has commenced formal engagement on constitutional amendments required to establish state police, marking a major step in efforts to restructure Nigeria’s internal security architecture amid rising security challenges across several states.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after a consultative meeting on state police held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, discussions on the proposed framework began months ago following a directive from President Bola Tinubu, with stakeholders now focusing on constitutional amendments that would provide legal backing for sub-national policing structures.

The development comes as incidents of kidnapping, banditry, and violent crime continue to escalate in parts of the country, intensifying calls for a decentralised policing system that can strengthen local intelligence gathering and improve rapid response to security threats.

What the Chief of Staff is saying

Gbajabiamila said the ongoing consultations have moved beyond preliminary discussions to the stage of identifying the specific constitutional changes needed to enable state police, noting that an enabling law would follow after the amendments are completed.

• He explained that the process requires careful legal and constitutional work, stressing that the establishment of state police cannot be implemented without a clear legislative foundation.
• “We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President.
• “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.”
• “Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that,” he stated.

Gbajabiamila said the consultative meeting brought together key government and security stakeholders to review proposals and refine the structure of the intended reforms.

More insights

The Chief of Staff noted that there is now broad agreement among stakeholders that the conversation has shifted from whether state police should be created to how it will be implemented within Nigeria’s constitutional framework.

President Tinubu is expected to receive a comprehensive report from the consultation process as efforts continue to finalise the amendment proposal.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, among other senior officials.

What you should know

Amid the rising insecurity heightened by the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo state, President Tinubu last week approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security in the state.

The President also directed a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts aimed at securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

The school abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, and has drawn widespread concern from residents, parents, and community leaders, who have continued to call for swift action to secure the victims’ release.