Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has disclosed that major progress has been made toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria, following months of high-level deliberations among key stakeholders.
The Chief of Staff spoke after a special meeting on the proposed reform. Gbajabiamila revealed that discussions on state policing have been ongoing for the past three to four months, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to develop a framework for its implementation.
According to him, creating state police requires a careful and structured process, as it involves complex constitutional and legal considerations.
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with a wave of the hand or a snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of the constitution and legalities,” he said.
The Chief of Staff noted that the government has recorded substantial progress and is now focusing on the constitutional amendment required to create the legal foundation for state police.
He explained that once the amendment process is completed, an enabling law detailing the operational framework will follow.
“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law will follow thereafter,” he stated.
Gbajabiamila emphasized that discussions during the meeting centered on refining the amendment process and addressing the legal mechanisms necessary for implementation. He expressed optimism that the amendment would be introduced in the near future.
He further observed that there appears to be broad national support for the establishment of state police, describing it as a reform that enjoys widespread consensus across the country.
“I don’t think there is any debate on that. It is something that the President has wanted and has been talking about for some time since last year,” he said.
The Chief of Staff added that President Tinubu would subsequently provide a comprehensive report on the meeting and communicate its outcomes to the public.
The renewed push for state police is widely viewed as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by granting states greater responsibility and capacity in addressing local security challenges.
The proposed reform, however, will require constitutional amendments and supporting legislation before it can become operational, he said.