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As the proposed State Police Bill awaits approval from at least 24 state Houses of Assembly, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has outlined key changes that could transform policing across Nigeria if the legislation becomes law. The State Police Bill aims to decentralise policing and strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity. However, the proposal must still complete constitutional procedures before it can take effect.
The proposed State Police Bill includes the following major provisions:
- Nigeria Police Force becomes Nigeria Police Service: The bill seeks to rename the Nigeria Police Force as the Nigeria Police Service, reflecting a stronger focus on public service and community policing.
- State police officially established: Every state and the Federal Capital Territory would have the authority to establish and manage its own police service alongside the Federal Police Service.
- Police Council restructured: The council would include the President, all state governors, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police to oversee national policing policies and cooperation.
- State Police Service Councils created: Each state would establish a council chaired by the governor to supervise policy, administration and accountability.
- Separate funding system: The Federal Police Service would receive funding from the Federation’s Consolidated Revenue Fund, while individual states would finance their own police services.
- New leadership appointments: The Inspector-General of Police and State Commissioners of Police would each serve a single, non-renewable four-year term under the proposed appointment process.
- Police Service Commission restructured: The federal commission would supervise only the Federal Police Service, while each state would establish its own commission to handle appointments, promotions and discipline.
- Safeguards against abuse: The bill provides operational independence for police leadership, requires executive directives to be issued in writing, allows officers to reject unlawful orders and establishes a Complaints Response Unit in every state.
- Two-year transition period: Existing police personnel would move to either the Federal or State Police Service while retaining their ranks, pensions and service conditions during a 24-month transition supervised by a Joint Transition Committee.
- Constitutional amendments required: The legislation would only become effective after amendments to relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, including changes to the Exclusive Legislative List and the Third Schedule.
The proposed State Police Bill gained momentum after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill on Wednesday, with more than two-thirds of lawmakers voting in support during a manual voting process.
