Abiodun Confident State Assemblies Will Simultaneously Pass State Police Bill
Abuja – Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed confidence that all 36 State Houses of Assembly will simultaneously approve the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police, describing the initiative as a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
Speaking during an Arise Television Town Hall Meeting on state policing, Abiodun said the proposal had gained rare national consensus, commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for transmitting the Executive Bill to the National Assembly and applauding lawmakers and other stakeholders for advancing the legislation.
The governor, who chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Committee on State Police Creation, described June 24, 2026, as a historic date, noting that it marked the transmission of the Executive Bill to the National Assembly and its prompt consideration by the Senate.
According to him, previous efforts by successive administrations to establish state police had failed, making the current progress a significant breakthrough.
“I want to thank Arise TV for organising this important town hall meeting on a matter that has now become a national consensus. One of the few issues that enjoys broad national acceptance today is the creation of state police,” he said.
Abiodun disclosed that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum constituted a committee of governors and state Attorneys-General to work closely with the executive and legislative arms of government in drafting the bill.
He noted that although governors are constitutionally recognised as Chief Security Officers of their states, they have historically exercised limited control over policing despite providing substantial logistical and financial support to security agencies.
“The bill reflects our collective input, and what we are witnessing today is the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration. It validates our advocacy for community-based policing,” the governor stated.
Abiodun said the proposed state police system would build on the successes of existing regional security outfits, including the South-West Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, which he said has complemented conventional policing through intelligence gathering and community engagement.
He added that establishing state police would significantly improve Nigeria’s police-to-citizen ratio while creating employment opportunities across the country’s 774 local government areas.
The governor noted that Nigeria currently has approximately one police officer to 660 citizens, compared to the United Nations’ recommended ratio of one officer to 440 citizens and the global average of one officer to 250 citizens.
Using Ogun State as an example, he said the state currently has about 6,000 personnel serving in Amotekun, the So-Safe Corps, vigilante groups and other security outfits. Replicating similar structures across the 36 states, he said, could immediately add between 300,000 and 400,000 security personnel nationwide.
Abiodun explained that the constitutional amendment seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby empowering states to establish and manage their own police services.
He expressed optimism that, given the extensive consultations and active involvement of governors in the drafting process, all state legislatures would consider and pass the amendment simultaneously once it is transmitted to them.
The governor, however, stressed that passing the constitutional amendment would only be the first step, noting that further legal and institutional reforms would be required to operationalise the new policing system.
According to him, consequential amendments to the existing Police Act would be necessary to align it with the new constitutional framework, while operational guidelines covering command structure, coordination with the Nigeria Police Force, oversight mechanisms, funding, recruitment, training standards, police councils and police service commissions would also need to be established.
He maintained that these measures would ensure that state police operates professionally, responsibly and effectively in addressing the country’s security challenges while protecting the rights of citizens.
