The Senate has said the proposed state police system will include safeguards allowing the Federal Police Service to intervene if state police formations are used to intimidate voters, violate fundamental rights or threaten national security.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, gave the assurance while defending the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, amid concerns that governors could use state police to target political opponents or influence elections.
Bamidele said the proposed framework was designed to decentralise policing without giving state governments unchecked control over security agencies. He explained that state police would primarily enforce state laws, maintain public order, prevent and detect crimes within their jurisdictions, and protect lives and property.
The Federal Police Service, meanwhile, would retain responsibility for national security matters, including counter-terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, border security, arms trafficking, interstate criminal activities and the protection of federal institutions.
According to the Senate Leader, federal intervention could be triggered by an outright breakdown of public order, the inability of a state police service to function, serious violations of fundamental rights, partisan or electoral intimidation, or situations in which national security is seriously threatened.
He said the intervention would have to be authorised in writing by the President and would be limited in scope and duration, with legislative oversight and judicial review forming part of the safeguards.
The Senate has also proposed an independent State Police Service Commission to regulate state police operations without being subject to the control of state governors. The commission would have responsibilities relating to the administration and regulation of state police formations.
Bamidele further explained that although governors would have a role in the appointment of state commissioners of police, they would not have unilateral control over the process. Appointments would require recommendations by the National Police Council and confirmation by a two-thirds majority of the relevant State House of Assembly.
The proposed framework would also restrict governors from using police powers for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional or personal purposes.
The Senate's position comes amid longstanding concerns over the possible political misuse of state police, particularly during elections. Critics of decentralised policing have argued that governors could use locally controlled police formations to intimidate opposition candidates, suppress political activities or influence voters.
Supporters of the proposal, however, maintain that Nigeria's centralised policing structure has become overstretched and that state authorities require greater capacity to respond quickly to security threats within their communities.
The Senate said 84 of its 109 members voted in support of the state police bill during clause-by-clause consideration, describing the vote as evidence of broad support for the reform.
The House of Representatives has also passed a state police proposal, moving the constitutional amendment closer to the next stages required before it can become law.
However, the proposed state police system is not yet operational. The constitutional amendment must complete the required ratification process by the State Houses of Assembly before it can be presented for presidential assent.
The reform is expected to create a dual policing structure in which federal and state police operate with clearly defined responsibilities.
For the Senate, the ability of the Federal Police to intervene in exceptional circumstances is central to addressing fears that decentralised policing could become a tool for political repression.
The proposal therefore attempts to strike a balance between giving states greater responsibility for local security and maintaining federal authority over issues that could threaten national stability.
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the safeguards concerning electoral intimidation are likely to remain a major part of the debate over the proposed state police system.
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