President Bola Tinubu has called an emergency meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly to discuss ways of accelerating legislative action on the establishment of state police amid growing security concerns across the country.
Presidency sources said the meeting is expected to hold at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and will focus on the constitutional amendments required to create state police and strengthen security at the grassroots level.
The move comes as kidnappings, including attacks on schools, continue to generate public concern. According to sources familiar with the development, the President believes the country needs urgent reforms to address gaps in policing and internal security.
“The President is worried by the increasing cases of insecurity, especially the targeting of schools and innocent citizens by criminal elements.”
The source added that the administration sees state police as part of a broader security reform agenda and is seeking the cooperation of the National Assembly to speed up consideration of pending constitutional changes.
Officials said the engagement is expected to bring together principal officers of both chambers of the National Assembly and key figures involved in the ongoing constitutional review process.
Discussions are likely to centre on:
- Fast-tracking constitutional amendments for state police.
- Building political consensus among lawmakers and other stakeholders.
- Strengthening local security structures and intelligence gathering.
- Improving response to kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
Recent abductions of pupils, teachers and residents in several states have renewed calls for decentralised policing and greater involvement of state governments in internal security management.
Supporters of state police argue that locally controlled policing would improve intelligence gathering, response time and crime prevention. Critics, however, warn that governors could misuse state police formations for political purposes.
Despite those concerns, pressure for reform has continued to grow as communities face persistent challenges from kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
School attacks have heightened fears about the safety of students and teachers, while stakeholders are increasingly worried about the broader impact of insecurity on education, livelihoods and public confidence.
The current push could become one of the most significant security reform efforts since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
National Assembly sources confirmed that communication had been received from the Presidency and that discussions with the President were expected to focus on the framework for advancing the state police proposal.
If the constitutional process succeeds, the initiative could mark a major shift in Nigeria’s policing structure, giving states a more direct role in maintaining internal security while the debate over safeguards and oversight continues.
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