Nigeria’s parliament approved a constitutional bill on Thursday that would allow each of the country’s 36 states to create and operate its own police force alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force. The reform, long debated, aims to tackle the country’s growing security challenges.
Supporters, including President Bola Tinubu, argue that decentralised policing is essential for responding more effectively to localised threats such as insurgency, mass kidnappings, communal violence and oil theft.
The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favour of the bill, with the Senate expected to pass it later on Thursday. The measure now requires ratification by at least two-thirds of state assemblies before it can take effect.
The legislation enjoys cross-party support and marks a major shift from decades of centralised policing controlled from Abuja.
Nigeria’s security landscape varies sharply by region: jihadist insurgency dominates the northeast; banditry and kidnappings affect the northwest and north-central areas; separatist-linked attacks occur in the southeast; and oil theft persists in the Niger Delta.
State governors have long argued that they are held responsible for security yet lack operational control over local police. Advocates of state forces say decentralisation could improve emergency response times, strengthen intelligence, and deploy officers familiar with local communities.
"Nigeria's centralised policing model slows emergency responses because states lack direct control," said Ayomide Akinwale, analyst at SBM Intelligence.
In May, gunmen abducted dozens of students and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, underscoring the reach of criminal and insurgent networks. Tinubu has promised increased federal police recruitment, giving momentum to the reform, which has stalled in previous attempts due to political differences.
Critics, however, warn that state police could be misused for political purposes, target minorities, or struggle with funding, training, and coordination, particularly in poorer states.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2026 will be announced on Friday, 9 October, bringing one of the world's most closely watched awards back into focus....
Iran is reviewing a U.S. response to Tehran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi s...
AnewZ has premiered its new documentary film Kontrapunkt in Berlin, exploring more than two centuries of shared German-Azerbaijani hist...
Russia's health watchdog said on Tuesday that no cases of plague had been detected among anyone who had come into contact with a Siberian plague institute laboratory worker who died last week, and locals said their lives had barely been disrupted.
Russia struck Ukraine overnight in one of the biggest attacks of the conflict, killing at least 19 people, Kyiv's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Around 70 missiles were fired at Ukraine during the attack, as well as drones, the Ministry said.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
An investigation into August Hanning, the former head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND), has no connection to Azerbaijan, informed sources have told AnewZ.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2026 will be announced on Friday, 9 October, bringing one of the world's most closely watched awards back into focus.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday 8 October, that Yerevan will discuss the possible construction of railway connections with the Turkish city of Kars and the Azerbaijani city of Nakhchivan with Russian officials next week, according to local media.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
Iran says it will deliver its response to recent U.S. proposals through intermediaries, underscoring that communication between the two countries continues indirectly alongside ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions.
International cooperation, lunar exploration and the growing role of artificial intelligence dominated the third day of a major astronautical conference now underway in Antalya.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment