Barau noted that concerns raised by Nigerians during the Senate’s public hearings must be addressed to avoid eroding trust in the proposed system.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, has assured that concerns raised by Nigerians over the proposed establishment of state police will be addressed, as the National Assembly advances work on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Barau gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving members of the Nigeria Police Force steering committee established to develop a framework for state policing.
The committee, inaugurated on March 4, 2026, by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, is expected to produce a comprehensive framework for the establishment of state police across the country.
Led by its Chairman, Olu Ogunsakin, the panel briefed the Deputy Senate President on its mandate and sought the Senate’s input to strengthen its final report.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Ismail Mudashir, Barau—who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review—commended the IGP for aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in efforts to improve national security.
He, however, urged the committee to prioritise accountability, safeguards against abuse, and public confidence in designing the framework.
“You must, most importantly, work on a structure to create a robust public safety mechanism and engender a secure nation,” he said.
Barau noted that concerns raised by Nigerians during the Senate’s public hearings must be addressed to avoid eroding trust in the proposed system.
“During public hearings of the Senate on the amendments of the 1999 Constitution, Nigerians raised their concerns and fears about the establishment of state police. We should create a system that allays their fears,” he added.
Why state police debate remains contentious
The move to decentralise policing has continued to generate debate, with stakeholders sharply divided over its implications.
At the Senate’s zonal public hearings across the six geopolitical zones, many participants warned against the potential misuse of state police by governors, particularly to target political opponents and suppress dissent.
Concerns were also raised over weak institutional safeguards, poor funding capacity of states, and the risk of compromised professionalism in recruitment and operations.
Others highlighted the need for clear operational boundaries between federal and state police structures to avoid jurisdictional conflicts, while some warned of possible ethnic or sectional bias if strict oversight mechanisms are not entrenched.
Despite the concerns, proponents argue that state police would enhance grassroots intelligence gathering, improve response time to security threats, and strengthen community policing.
Next steps
One of the key bills before the Constitution Review Committee seeks to amend the Constitution to provide for state and community police as part of efforts to boost local law enforcement and deepen community engagement.
The Senate Committee, under Barau’s leadership, had conducted zonal public hearings nationwide to ensure broad-based participation in the amendment process, with inputs from stakeholders expected to shape the final legislative outcome.