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Showing posts from July, 2026

State Police long overdue in Nigeria

  On June 11 and 24, 2026, the Nigeria House of Representatives and Senate respectively singled out the state police constitution amendment bill for passage into law. This brings to an end decade of agitations and advocacy for the decentralisation of Nigeria policing system. I have argued on this page severally that this is the best way to go. Key highlights include empowering state governors to appoint Commissioners of Police (confirmed by State Assemblies) and establishing institutional safeguards to prevent the political abuse of state police. Dual Police Framework replaces the singular national police structure with a Federal Police Service (handling border security, cybercrime, and terrorism). The bill explicitly prohibits governors and politicians from directing police to target political opponents, ethnic groups, or associations. State Police Service Commissions will independently oversee recruitment, promotion, and discipline. The federal police retain the authority to in...