The Framework for State Police: A Step Toward Decentralized Security
The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, recently submitted a comprehensive framework for the establishment of state police to the Senate. This move marks a significant step toward decentralizing policing and addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges. The document was presented to the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, who also chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, during a meeting at the National Assembly in Abuja.
This development follows a technical session held in Ibadan, Oyo State, where stakeholders and security experts convened to discuss the need for an operational framework for the proposed state policing. The event, titled “Foundational Imperatives for State Police in South-West Nigeria,” took place at the Dipo Famakinwa Conference Room, DAWN Commission headquarters, Cocoa House, Dugbe.
President Bola Tinubu had previously pledged in February 2026 that the establishment of state police to combat insecurity would not be postponed. He assured Nigerians that his administration’s promise to tackle insecurity through state policing remains on track, stating, “What I promise you is not to be postponed. We will establish state police to combat insecurity.”
The submission of the framework to the Senate was detailed in a statement issued by Barau’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir. According to the statement, the 75-page framework was submitted on behalf of the IGP by the chairman of the police committee on state police, Prof Olu Ogunsakin. The document outlines the proposed operational structure for state policing and how it would function alongside the federal system.
The report covers the considered views, professional insights, and strategic recommendations of the Force, derived from extensive consultations and a careful assessment of the operational, legal, and administrative implications of instituting state police in Nigeria. It is expected that the contents of this report will meaningfully contribute to ongoing deliberations and assist in shaping informed, balanced, and pragmatic decisions on this critical aspect of national security architecture.
The report, which represents the Nigeria Police Force’s formal input, has been forwarded to the Senate committee overseeing the constitutional amendment process. Responding to the submission, Barau commended the IGP for his proactiveness, noting that the move aligned with the security agenda of President Bola Tinubu to strengthen internal security across the country. He added that the committee would consider the framework alongside other memoranda submitted as part of the ongoing review of the nation’s grundnorm.
Addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Director-General of DAWN Commission, Seye Oyeleye, said the roundtable session was convened in response to growing momentum at the Federal level for the establishment of state police. He emphasized that while a national framework might exist, regional peculiarities must be considered in designing an effective policing system.
Oyeleye stressed that the focus should now be on how to implement state policing effectively rather than debating its necessity. He warned against replicating the shortcomings of the federal policing system, urging stakeholders to adopt a research-driven and analytical approach. He also highlighted the importance of involving the people in the conception, process, and implementation of state policing.
The development comes amid mounting pressure for structural reforms to Nigeria’s policing architecture, with renewed advocacy for decentralization gaining traction both locally and internationally. A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, recently called for the decentralization of Nigeria’s policing system, arguing that state governments must be empowered to respond more effectively to worsening insecurity, particularly in the Middle Belt.
Moore’s comments add to growing international attention on Nigeria’s security challenges, especially calls for reforms that would allow states to play a more active role in maintaining law and order. The push also coincides with renewed efforts by the Federal Government to advance the creation of state police as part of broader strategies to tackle the country’s multifaceted security threats, including banditry, insurgency, and communal violence.
