By Precious Mark
The House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to establish State Police across Nigeria, allowing state governments to create and manage their own police forces alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
The development was disclosed on Thursday in a statement by Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication.
According to the statement, the proposed legislation is aimed at restructuring the policing system in the country by making it a shared responsibility between the federal and state governments.
It explained that the bill seeks to amend Sections 197, 214 and 215 of the Constitution to move policing from exclusive federal control to a joint arrangement between the two tiers of government.
Under the proposed framework, states will be empowered to establish and manage their own police formations, while the Nigeria Police Force will continue to operate as the national policing agency.
The statement further noted that the reform will create a dual policing structure in which both federal and state police forces will operate side by side, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
It added that constitutional safeguards will be put in place, including oversight mechanisms, operational guidelines, and a clear division of powers between federal and state policing authorities.
The bill is expected to proceed for further legislative consideration as part of ongoing constitutional review efforts.