The Presidency has disclosed that Nigeria is moving closer to establishing state police, with a constitutional amendment required for the new policing structure expected to be introduced soon.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the disclosure after a high-level consultative meeting on state police held at the State House in Abuja.

According to Gbajabiamila, discussions on the proposed state policing framework began several months ago on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have made significant progress.

He explained that establishing state police involves complex constitutional and legal processes that require extensive consultations among stakeholders, including the Executive, the National Assembly, and security agencies.

“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President. Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction,” he said.

Constitutional Amendment Under Consideration

Gbajabiamila stated that attention is now focused on drafting the constitutional amendment that will provide the legal basis for state police, while enabling legislation will follow afterward.

“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter,” he added.

The Chief of Staff noted that there is growing national consensus on the need for state police, stressing that the debate has shifted from whether Nigeria should adopt the system to how it should be implemented effectively.

Tinubu to Receive Report

Gbajabiamila said President Tinubu would be presented with a detailed report of the consultations and recommendations arising from the meeting.

The proposed reform is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by improving grassroots intelligence gathering, enhancing rapid response capabilities, and empowering state governments to address local security challenges more effectively.

President Tinubu has consistently advocated for decentralised policing, arguing that state police would provide a more effective response to the country’s evolving security threats while improving protection of lives and property.

Key Stakeholders Attend Meeting

Among those present at the meeting were Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, alongside other senior government and security officials.

If approved, the state police initiative would represent one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history, potentially reshaping law enforcement and internal security management across the country.

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Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the ruling on Friday. He also barred other parties in the suit from taking any actions that could interfere with the ongoing legal process.

The judge warned all involved not to take steps that could pre-empt the court’s decision. The case was then adjourned to June 26, 2025, for the next hearing.

The case was filed by Ghanaian investors. They include JonahCapital Ltd, Houses for Africa Ltd, and three individuals: Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, and Victor Quainoo. Their lawyer, Abu Arome, filed the suit on their behalf.

They asked the court to stop the police, EFCC, and other parties from arresting or intimidating them during the investigation. The investors claimed that their rights were being violated.

The conflict started with multiple petitions regarding ownership of River Park Estate. In response, the IGP created a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to examine the complaints.

After weeks of investigation, the panel submitted its report to the police leadership. The report was supposed to be reviewed by the legal department to check for any criminal elements.

Despite this, the investors said they received no reply after sending follow-up letters dated March 20 and April 16. Instead, a new investigation allegedly began under DCP Akin Fakorede, head of the IGP Monitoring Unit.

The investors stated that even while the matter was still in court, they were being summoned and harassed. Fakorede allegedly continued to investigate the case, ignoring the findings of the earlier panel.

They also accused the EFCC of arresting and detaining Kojo Ansah Mensah, the CEO of JonahCapital and Houses for Africa Nigeria. He was reportedly held for several days without clear cause.

Due to the situation, the investors petitioned the Police Service Commission, led by Hashimu Argungu. They also wrote to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. Both were asked to intervene in what the investors called abuse of power.

The plaintiffs are asking the court for a perpetual injunction. This would stop the police and EFCC from arresting, inviting, harassing, or detaining them.

They argue that the investigation is based on agreements signed years ago on June 1, 2012, and July 13, 2012 which have already been addressed.

They also want the SIP investigation report to be released. The panel was led by DCP Usman Ahmed Imam from the Force Criminal Investigation Department.

In addition, the investors are demanding ₦200 million in damages for alleged violations of their rights.

The matter will be heard again on June 26, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

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