The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has submitted a comprehensive framework for the establishment of state police to the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, as part of Nigeria’s efforts to decentralise policing.
The 75-page document, titled “A Comprehensive Framework for the Establishment, Governance and Coordination of Federal and State Police”, was presented on Thursday at the National Assembly in Abuja by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, who chairs the committee on state policing.
It outlines the proposed operational structure, governance model, and strategic recommendations for instituting state police, drawing from extensive consultations and assessments of legal, operational, and administrative implications.
The IGP described the report as the Nigeria Police Force’s formal contribution to the ongoing constitutional review process, aimed at shaping balanced and pragmatic decisions regarding national security architecture.
Senator Jibrin commended the IGP’s proactive approach and assured that the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution would review the framework thoroughly, alongside other submissions.
The committee is examining a bill that would permit Nigerian states to establish their own police forces.
This move followed an agreement between President Bola Tinubu and the 36 state governors in 2024 to decentralise policing in response to rising threats such as banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping.
Critics, however, have raised concerns over potential misuse of state police by governors, funding challenges, and human rights risks.
While the IGP considers the creation of state police “irreversible,” its implementation depends on a constitutional amendment approved by the National Assembly and at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly.
