Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has warned that Nigeria’s proposed state police system could fail to achieve its intended objectives if it is not backed by adequate funding and financial independence.
Bamidele said a poorly funded state police structure would be vulnerable to manipulation by politicians, influential individuals, corporate interests and even criminal elements, thereby undermining public confidence and weakening efforts to improve security across the country.
The Senate leader made the remarks on Thursday while speaking at the ARISE NEWS Townhall on State Police, where stakeholders examined the prospects and challenges of establishing state-controlled police formations as part of ongoing constitutional reforms.
According to him, the issue of funding remains one of the most critical factors that must be addressed before the proposed security arrangement can succeed.
“If the state police is not well funded, it may as well be a highway to nowhere,” Bamidele said, stressing that financial sustainability must be at the centre of the ongoing discussions on policing reforms.
He explained that while there is widespread support for decentralising policing to enable quicker responses to local security challenges, such a system would only be effective if state police commands are adequately equipped, properly remunerated and insulated from undue external influence.
Bamidele cautioned that inadequate funding could leave state police personnel exposed to pressures from state governments, wealthy individuals, business interests and organised criminal groups seeking to influence law enforcement activities.
According to him, such a development would defeat the primary objective of creating state police, which is to strengthen internal security and improve the protection of lives and property across the country.
The lawmaker further clarified that the constitutional amendment currently before the National Assembly is not intended to compel every state to immediately establish its own police force.
Instead, he said, the amendment seeks to create a legal and constitutional framework that would empower states willing and capable of operating their own police services to do so.
Bamidele explained that the proposal involves transferring policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby allowing both the Federal Government and state governments to legislate on policing matters.
He said the proposed amendment would provide states with the constitutional authority to establish their own police organisations while allowing those that are not yet financially or administratively prepared to continue relying on the Nigeria Police Force.
The Senate Majority Leader noted that the proposed arrangement would give individual states the flexibility to determine whether they possess the necessary financial capacity, institutional structures and administrative competence to operate an independent police service.
He added that the decentralisation of policing is being considered as part of broader efforts to address the country’s growing security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, communal clashes and other violent crimes that have stretched the capacity of the existing centralised police system.
Bamidele maintained that any transition to state policing must be carefully designed to ensure accountability, professionalism and operational independence.
He argued that beyond constitutional amendments, issues such as recruitment standards, training, operational guidelines, oversight mechanisms and funding models must be clearly defined to guarantee the effectiveness of the proposed system.
According to him, the success of state police will ultimately depend not only on the legal framework establishing it but also on the commitment of governments at all levels to provide sufficient resources for its operation.
He stressed that security should never be compromised by financial constraints, adding that police officers require adequate welfare, modern equipment, intelligence support and logistics to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
The lawmaker also underscored the need for safeguards that would prevent the misuse of state police by political office holders, saying operational independence and institutional checks would be essential in protecting the integrity of the proposed system.
The debate over the creation of state police has gained renewed momentum in recent years as insecurity continues to pose significant challenges across various parts of Nigeria.
Supporters argue that state-controlled police forces would possess better knowledge of local communities, cultures and terrains, enabling faster responses to security threats and improved intelligence gathering.
However, critics have consistently expressed concerns that state police could be abused by governors to intimidate political opponents or suppress dissent if adequate constitutional safeguards are not put in place.
Bamidele’s remarks add to the growing national conversation on the future of policing in Nigeria, with many stakeholders insisting that while decentralisation could strengthen security, the success of the initiative will largely depend on sustainable funding, institutional independence and robust accountability mechanisms.
The National Assembly is currently considering constitutional amendments that would redefine policing responsibilities in Nigeria, with lawmakers expected to continue consultations before any final decision is reached.
