Akpabio Says 30 State Assemblies Have Endorsed State Police Amendment

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says about 30 State Houses of Assembly have endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria, expressing optimism that the country could soon adopt a decentralised policing system to strengthen its response to insecurity.

Akpabio made the disclosure on Wednesday while receiving members of the Arewa Revival Project, a northern youth organisation with membership across the 19 northern states, at his office in Abuja.

He said the proposed reform would bring policing closer to communities and complement existing security structures by allowing states to play a greater role in addressing security threats within their jurisdictions.

“As I speak with you now, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, it may not take us a month before we have a state police system, a decentralised policing in the country, because about 30 states have endorsed the amendment to the Nigerian Constitution to bring about a state police system, which will further increase the security of the nation,” Akpabio said.

The proposed amendment seeks to introduce a dual policing structure in which federal and state police formations would operate within their respective jurisdictions. 

The reform is intended to give states greater responsibility for local security while retaining the federal police structure.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires approval by at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly, representing 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states, in addition to meeting the requirements at the National Assembly. 

The Senate and House of Representatives had passed the proposed amendment before it was sent to the state legislatures for consideration.

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill had announced on October 23 that 24 state assemblies had approved the amendment, meeting the required constitutional threshold. 

Akpabio’s latest figure suggests further endorsements, although the formal status of the state resolutions remains an important part of the process.

The proposed reform comes amid continuing concerns over insecurity across the country and debate about whether a decentralised policing system would improve local intelligence gathering, crime prevention and response times.

Akpabio expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges and urged the youths to remain hopeful about the country’s future.