The Kwara State House of Assembly has approved a proposed alteration to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide a legal framework for the establishment of state police.
The approval followed deliberations during plenary after the Speaker read a letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly requesting the state legislature’s consideration of the proposed constitutional amendment.
Leading the debate, Mogaji Oba Abdulkadri, the House Leader, highlighted the potential benefits of state policing in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the debate supported the proposed amendment, arguing that state police would bring law enforcement closer to the people and strengthen the protection of lives and property.
They expressed optimism that decentralising policing would enhance security operations and enable law enforcement agencies to respond more effectively to threats at the grassroots level.
Following the approval, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, Speaker of the House, directed Ahmed Olayiwola, the Clerk of the Assembly, to formally communicate the House’s decision to the National Assembly for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, residents of the Kwara State capital have expressed mixed views on the proposed state police framework, with some welcoming the initiative while others called for broader public consultation.
Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, described the proposed state police framework as a welcome development that could help address security challenges at the grassroots.
He said decentralising the security architecture would bring policing closer to communities and improve the protection of lives and property.
‘If we have our own state police, security will be closer to the people, making it easier to protect lives and property at the local level,’ he said.
Yusuf added that his local government was prepared to support the implementation of state policing, noting that community-based security arrangements were already being deployed to tackle criminal activities.
‘In response to the security challenges in our state, we have already been working with local vigilantes to protect our communities. We also collaborate with local hunters and forest guards, who have played a vital role in maintaining security and controlling criminal activities,’ he said.
He expressed confidence that the experience gained from these existing arrangements would support the successful implementation of state policing at the local level.
Similarly, Aliyu Musa, a public analyst, described the proposed amendment as a welcome development in view of Nigeria’s contemporary security challenges.
He said the initiative could bring about a significant shift in the country’s security architecture but stressed the need to prioritise local intelligence in preventing and combating crime.
Musa also urged authorities to ensure that rural communities received adequate attention in the deployment of state police personnel.
‘Local intelligence should be top-notch as a way of making greater impact on crime prevention,’ he said.
However, Florence Emmanuel said the state legislature should have provided an opportunity for residents to express their views before approving the proposed amendment.
Emmanuel said she learnt about the Assembly’s decision through a radio broadcast, arguing that public engagement would have enabled citizens to contribute to discussions on such an important security reform.
‘We just heard on the radio that the bill has been approved by the State Assembly. Ideally, the Assembly should have called people and heard their views about it before approving it,’ she said.
She, however, acknowledged the potential benefits of the proposed reform, adding that public consultation would have made the process more inclusive.
‘Nothing is bad about the move, but at least they should have allowed citizens to express their views and contribute to it,’ she noted.
The proposed state police framework comes amid persistent security concerns across parts of Nigeria, including kidnapping and violent attacks, which have intensified calls for a more decentralised and community-responsive policing system