State Police Will Come With Legal Restraints To Prevent Abuse – FG

The Federal Government says its move towards a dual policing system is aimed at bringing lawful protection closer to Nigerians while ensuring that police powers remain subject to professional standards and constitutional safeguards.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this at a special session on “Who Polices Nigeria?” during the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Gbajabiamila said the Tinubu administration was working to overhaul Nigeria’s policing architecture to reflect systems in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, India and Brazil, where policing responsibilities are shared between federal and constituent governments.

He, however, warned that decentralisation without professional standards and constitutional restraints could reproduce existing failures at the state level.

“A governor elected by the people cannot be removed from responsibility for public safety. He or she may properly set broad security priorities and seek legislative approval for the resources required. Operational command is different,” he said.

Gbajabiamila said no governor should have the personal power to order the arrest of a political opponent, stop an investigation, disperse a lawful gathering or direct how police officers operate during elections.

He said a Policy Advisory Committee had been established to bring operational experience, legal expertise and independent scrutiny to the development of the proposed National Policing Bill.

According to him, the bill would be transmitted to the National Assembly and subsequently followed by the necessary constitutional amendments at the state level before presidential assent.

Gbajabiamila, who chairs the Presidential Working Group on the reform, which includes the NBA President, said the government was determined to build a policing system capable of meeting Nigeria’s security needs while protecting citizens’ rights.

“President Tinubu has chosen to confront a truth Nigeria postponed for too long. The present policing architecture cannot carry the full weight of this country’s security needs,” he said.

He added that the government had opted for a system that would increase policing capacity, bring protection closer to citizens and subject every police service to the Constitution.

Gbajabiamila also said concerns over the timing of the reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections would not delay the process, stressing that the need to strengthen national policing standards could no longer be postponed.