Amend the Constitution to allow creation of State Police

With no fewer than 88 persons among them a two-year-old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, students and teachers still in Boko Haram and kidnapers’ den in Borno and Oyo state respectively, there is no basis for Nigeria to pretend that its current security architecture has not been overwhelmed by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other violent armed groups. It requires speedy and total overhaul notwithstanding the string of successes been recorded by the Armed Forces.

It is against this backdrop that we call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to as a matter of national emergency amend the 1999 Constitution to allow the creation of State Police as soon as practicable following increasing persistent security challenges in parts of the country and to enable the subnational government to invest heavily in intelligence, surveillance, equipment, operational vehicles as well as recruit more personnel to fight the criminals.

Our demand is hinged on the fact that the primary purpose and function of government as stipulated in Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution imposes a binding obligation on the federal, state and local governments to prioritize the safety of lives and properties as well as the social and economic wellbeing of all citizens which from every available fact has been lacking in the country with many law abiding Nigerians either been killed unjustly or kidnapped for ransom payment.

Unfortunately, since the return to civilian dispensation 27 years ago, the responsibility of safeguarding lives and maintaining law and order has been borne by the Nigeria Police Force which enjoys the constitutional prerogative of keeping internal security contained in Section 214 of the Constitution which also expressly prohibits the establishment of any other police force for the federation or part of it unlike what obtained in the First Republic when regional security outfits operated simultaneously with central police force.

It is worthy of note that this constitutional barrier has been adduced as among the major reasons for Nigeria’s current police strength of over 370, 000 officers which is grossly insufficient based on a ratio of one police officer to over 600 citizens as against the United Nations-recommended figure of one police officer to almost 450 citizens. The implication of this shortfall is that no fewer than additional 190,000 officers must be recruited and well-motivated to meet the global benchmark for a population of over 200 million people.
Similarly, this prohibition had forced the states to establish quasi-security outfits such as Amotekun in the South West and Ebube Agu in the South East whose personnel are legally barred from wielding automatic weapons but rely solely on guns that can match the sophisticated ones including assault rifles used by terrorists who have taken over ungoverned spaces and make living hellish for many Nigerians.

Furthermore, this justifies why governors designated as chief security officers in their states are handicapped and helpless when there are emergency security breaches that require instant attention as they are required to first report to Commissioners of Police who must take order from the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja before any serious intervention can be made and quite often such will come after the criminals have committed their heinous crimes and fled the scene.

It is for this reason we whole heartedly welcome current move by the Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu, who after due consultation with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, submitted a comprehensive 75-page framework for establishing State Police to the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution Senator Barau Jibrin in March. Titled ‘A Comprehensive Framework for the Establishment, Governance and Coordination of Federal and State Police’, the report contains proposed operational, legal, and administrative structures, including recruitment processes as well as how both police will coordinate their activities in line with international best practices.

Sadly however, this all-important document that many thought would be accorded expeditious consideration by our federal representatives in view of the precarious security situation in parts of the country, is still gathering dust in the shelf of the National Assembly hitherto, with a reputation for approving executive bills and multi-trillion Naira loans requests in a matter of hours. Their apparent inaction has temporarily stalled the attempt to break the legal obstacle militating against possible creation of State Police ahead of the 2027 general election.

It is against this backdrop that we strongly reiterate our earlier stand that the time for the birth of State Police is now and totally oppose further procrastination and delay by the Senate and House of Representatives in making it a reality in the national interest just as the Police and Nigerian Armed Forces should leave no stone unturned in securing the timely release of all students and teachers still in captivity in Borno and Oyo states.

Recall that in their characteristic manner, Boko Haram insurgents invaded Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on Friday, May 15, 2026, abducting 42 pupils, some of them toddlers. In what appeared to be a coordinated attack, on the same day, another group of gunmen kidnapped 46 persons – seven teachers and 39 students from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. A two-year-old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, was among those abducted while a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun was beheaded by his captors who shared the murder footage on social media thereby sparking national and global outrage. The bandits had initially killed a teacher and another person during the kidnap.

No doubt, the gruesome killing, the pervasive reign of terror coupled with reported rising cases of insecurity across the country, despite recent major counter-terrorism gains by the United States forces in conjunction with their Nigerian counterparts, including the killing of ISIS second-in-command globally, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in Metele in Borno State, where troops carried out a precision air-land operation in close coordination with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has further underscored the urgency of the proposed necessary amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to pave the way for State Police.

Recall that Borno and Yobe states have endured a bloody insurgency waged by Boko Haram and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, for 17 years that has killed thousands and displaced over 2 million people in the North East since 2009.

We are deeply worried that today, going by the regular killings and kidnappings across the country, the Nigerian State can no longer credibly deny the fact that the current national security architecture has been overwhelmed and cannot cope with the emerging threats from bandits, kidnappers and terrorists who are getting sophisticated and well-armed possess the capability to confront troops in their military bases and sometimes overrun schools, communities, killing and kidnapping law-abiding citizens at will without resistance or slow response from security agencies.

Therefore, besides amending the Constitution to create State Police, there is an urgent need for the federal, state and local governments to strengthen school security through improved surveillance, emergency response systems, and effective implementation of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools as no Nigerian child should be allowed to face fear or violence in pursuit of education which is the bedrock of development.

Above all, recent revelation by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom alleging that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants in groups ranging from 10 to 1,000 members, reputed to be among the deadliest non-state actors are driving religious freedom violations and masterminding deadly attacks across the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria, that had left thousands dead, displaced many communities, and aggravated tensions between religious groups further underscores the urgent need for policing at both the subnational and community levels without delay to uphold the sanctity of human life since no meaningful socio-economic development can thrive amid insecurity in the land. This is the time for the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow the establishment of State Police to further strengthen the nation’s security architecture.

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