Nigerian Senate Advocates for State Police Amid Insecurity

The Nigerian Senate has reached a consensus on the urgent need for state police to combat escalating insecurity, particularly kidnappings and banditry. The Senate plans to introduce a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution, allowing each of Nigeria's 36 states to establish their own police forces.

This move is in response to alarming statistics, including 2,235,954 estimated kidnapping incidents reported by the National Bureau of Statistics from May 2023 to April 2024. The Nigerian Police Force, with a personnel strength of 371,800, is deemed inadequate for the country's population of approximately 242 million.

The proposed bill seeks to transfer police responsibilities from the exclusive legislative list to a concurrent legislative list, enabling both federal and state police to operate simultaneously. Notably, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has commented on the dire security situation, emphasizing the need for community safety measures.

The Senate's decision reflects a growing recognition of the limitations of the current federal police system.