By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has warned that the proposed State Police system must not become a political weapon in the hands of governors or powerful individuals.
Speaking on Wednesday at the National Security Roundtable of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, Abbas said concerns over possible abuse of State Police were legitimate and must be addressed.
“It is the fear that a State Police could become the private army of a governor or a political godfather. The people who drafted this Bill had the same fear, and they answered it.”
The Speaker said the proposed constitutional amendment includes safeguards to prevent misuse, including independent State Police Service Commissions, legislative oversight and restrictions on the use of firearms.
He explained that states must meet national minimum standards before establishing their own police services.
“A State Police cannot begin to operate until the State House of Assembly creates it by law, and until it meets the national minimum standards that the National Assembly will set.”
Abbas said Nigeria’s security challenges require a more decentralised policing system, noting that a single central force cannot effectively address the needs of a country with diverse communities.
“A country as large and as varied as ours cannot be policed forever by one central Force run from the capital.”
He identified kidnapping, banditry, farmer-herder clashes and insecurity around schools as challenges requiring local knowledge and stronger community presence.
The Speaker also called for improved intelligence coordination, a national criminal and biometric database, technology-driven policing and better welfare for security personnel.
However, he raised concerns about funding, asking how states struggling to finance basic services would sustain their own police forces.
“How will a State that already struggles to fund its schools also fund a police force?”
Abbas urged lawmakers and stakeholders to ensure that accountability, funding and operational standards are established before the implementation of State Police.
He said the reform must create a security system that protects citizens in every community and strengthens public confidence in policing.
