The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has taken a decisive step toward the creation of state police in Nigeria, submitting a comprehensive framework to the Senate as part of ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
The 75-page document, presented to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin—who also chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution—outlines the structure, operations, and legal framework for the proposed state policing system.
According to the IGP, the framework is the product of extensive consultations and a thorough assessment of the operational, legal, and administrative implications of decentralising policing in Nigeria. He noted that the proposal offers strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening law enforcement and improving national security.
Receiving the document, Senator Jibrin commended the police chief for the initiative, assuring that the Senate Committee would carefully review the submission alongside other memoranda being considered in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
The move comes amid growing calls for state police as insecurity continues to challenge different parts of the country. Advocates argue that decentralising policing will bring security closer to the grassroots, enhance rapid response, and improve intelligence gathering at the local level.
The framework provides a roadmap for the establishment of state police, detailing its structure, powers, and operational guidelines. Stakeholders, including regional groups such as Igbo elders, have described the initiative as a national imperative capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security threats.
With the Senate set to deliberate on the proposal, the submission marks a significant milestone in the long-standing debate over policing reforms in Nigeria. Observers believe the outcome of the constitutional review could redefine the country’s security architecture and pave the way for a more responsive and effective policing system.
