Tinubu Administration Reveals State Police Supervision Details

The Federal Government has provided new details regarding the proposed state police system, clarifying that state governors will not have absolute control over these police services. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, spoke on this topic during the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He emphasized that while governors can identify security priorities and seek legislative approval for resources, they should not possess unrestricted operational powers over police officers. Gbajabiamila warned against the potential for governors to misuse police forces for political purposes, such as ordering arrests of political opponents or manipulating police operations during elections.

The proposed reform aims to create a dual system consisting of the Federal Police Service and State Police Services, addressing the limitations of Nigeria’s centralized policing. Institutional safeguards are proposed to protect police officers from unlawful instructions and ensure accountability for serious misconduct.