Kaduna Assembly approves state police bill as Uba Sani’s longstanding advocacy gains ground

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has approved a proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police services, advancing a reform that Governor Uba Sani has consistently advocated for several years.

The lawmakers endorsed the proposal during Thursday’s plenary, supporting the constitutional amendment transmitted to state legislatures by the National Assembly for consideration and approval. Blueprint reports

The decision marks a significant stage in Kaduna’s position on the proposed restructuring of Nigeria’s policing system, which supporters believe would strengthen security at the grassroots, improve response to crimes and enable authorities to address threats within local communities more effectively.

The Chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Information, Henry Marah, who represents Jaba State Constituency, confirmed the decision while briefing journalists after the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Henry Magaji Dajuma.

Marah said the proposed arrangement would improve the protection of lives and property, create employment opportunities for young people and provide a stronger legal framework for community-based security initiatives.

He argued that the current policing structure limits the ability of state governments to hold police authorities directly accountable when security failures occur.

According to him, the proposed system would strengthen local responses to banditry and other criminal activities, while enabling the state to establish appropriate laws to regulate the operations, administration and welfare of personnel of its proposed police service.

Marah also indicated that funding for the security arrangement would receive priority, even if the government had to reduce expenditure on other projects.

“Without security, you cannot even go to the farm or go to work,” he said, stressing that the protection of human lives should take precedence over infrastructure development.

Uba Sani’s years of advocacy for state police

The Assembly’s decision follows years of advocacy by Governor Uba Sani for a decentralised policing system.

Before becoming governor, Sani represented Kaduna Central in the Ninth Senate, where he sponsored legislative proposals aimed at creating state police and establishing institutional arrangements to regulate their operations.

Among the proposals associated with his legislative work were the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2020, Senate Bill 592; the Nigerian Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2020, Senate Bill 593; the Police Service Commission Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2020, Senate Bill 594; and the State Police Service Commission (Establishment) Bill 2020, Senate Bill 595.

The proposals sought to provide a constitutional basis for state police, establish a framework for their administration and create a commission responsible for disciplinary and related personnel matters.

The bills passed relevant stages in the Senate and were referred to the Ninth National Assembly’s joint committee on constitutional amendment. However, the proposals did not culminate in the establishment of state police during that legislative period.

Sani has continued to press for the reform since becoming Kaduna governor, arguing that the country’s security challenges require a system capable of combining national coordination with stronger responses at the state and community levels.

His position has been consistent with his broader argument that security responsibilities must be responsive to local realities, particularly in communities confronting kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.

Governor renews call at constitutional review hearing

In July 2025, Sani placed state police among the constitutional reforms he considered urgent during the North-West zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution held in Kaduna.

Represented by his deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, the governor called for reforms that would strengthen the federation and enable states to respond more effectively to security challenges.

He identified state police, fiscal federalism, the creation of additional states, constitutional recognition of traditional institutions and gender equity among the issues requiring attention.

At the hearing, Sani maintained that the Constitution should empower citizens and support responsive governance rather than serve primarily the interests of the powerful.

He also drew on his experience in the Ninth Senate, where he had sponsored proposals seeking to establish state police.

The governor’s advocacy has therefore extended beyond public statements. His legislative record, interventions during constitutional review and participation in national security discussions show a sustained effort to advance the proposal through Nigeria’s constitutional framework.

Kaduna governor backs safeguards against political abuse

While supporting state police, Sani has acknowledged concerns that governors could use state-controlled security agencies to intimidate political opponents or suppress dissent.

In June 2026, after the Senate passed the constitutional amendment bill, the governor addressed the concerns during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He argued that the proposal contained safeguards designed to prevent governors from exercising unchecked control over state police personnel.

Sani said a governor might be empowered to appoint a state police commissioner under the proposed framework, but would not have unilateral authority to remove the officer.

He explained that removal would involve the relevant police oversight institutions and legislative approval, rather than being left solely to a governor’s discretion.

The provisions reported in the proposed amendment include a role for the National Police Council in the appointment process, confirmation by the relevant State House of Assembly and prescribed national minimum standards.

The proposal also envisages a dual policing structure, comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services, rather than the complete withdrawal of federal policing responsibilities from the states.

Under the framework, state police would handle policing responsibilities within their jurisdictions, subject to constitutional and statutory provisions, while federal police would retain federal responsibilities. The proposal also provides for coordination between the two levels.

Sani has argued that state police should complement the federal police, not replace it. He has emphasised the need for professional recruitment, adequate training, accountability, operational independence, technology-driven policing and sustainable funding.

These safeguards are central to the debate because opponents of decentralised policing have raised concerns about political interference, unequal capacity among states and the potential misuse of security institutions.

Governor reiterates support at national security roundtable

In July 2026, Sani participated in a National Security Roundtable on Constitutional Reform and the Establishment of State Police Services organised by the National Assembly Library Trust Fund in Abuja.

The meeting brought together security practitioners, legislators, constitutional scholars and policymakers to discuss the proposed reform.

At the roundtable, the governor reaffirmed his support for state police, describing it as an important component of a more responsive national security architecture.

He cautioned, however, that constitutional amendment alone would not guarantee success. He stressed that the system would require professional institutions, effective accountability mechanisms, operational independence and strong constitutional safeguards.

Sani also advocated collaboration and intelligence sharing between federal and state police services, alongside clear constitutional definitions of their respective responsibilities.

Drawing on Kaduna’s experience, he emphasised trust, dialogue, inclusion, community partnership and intelligence-led policing as important elements of lasting security.

Earlier, in December 2024, the governor said state governments had submitted reports on the proposed creation of state police to the National Economic Council. He maintained that the existing security agencies lacked sufficient personnel to cover the country’s security needs effectively.

The NEC subsequently deferred further consideration for additional engagement and deliberation.

Taken together, these interventions show that Sani’s support for state police predates the current constitutional amendment process and has featured in his work as a senator and governor.

What the constitutional amendment proposes

The legislation before the state assemblies is formally titled the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.

The National Assembly transmitted the proposal to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.

The Senate passed the bill on June 24, 2026, while the House of Representatives passed its version in July. The proposal seeks to establish a constitutional basis for a two-tier policing structure and empower states to establish their own police services through legislation.

Under the proposed framework, a state police service would not automatically begin operating simply because the constitutional amendment is approved. A state would need to enact the necessary legislation and meet the prescribed national standards.

The proposal also addresses the relationship between federal and state police, the appointment and oversight of police leadership, funding, operational responsibilities and circumstances in which federal intervention may be necessary.

The bill is intended to preserve federal policing responsibilities while giving states a more direct institutional role in responding to local security challenges.

However, its implementation would depend on the final constitutional provisions and the legislation required to establish and regulate the state services.

Kaduna’s approval is not the final step

Despite the Kaduna Assembly’s approval, the proposed amendment has not yet become part of the Constitution.

Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution requires a constitutional alteration to be approved by resolutions of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, meaning at least 24 states must endorse the proposal.

The National Assembly must then complete the constitutional process in accordance with the applicable requirements before the amendment can take effect.

The Kaduna decision therefore adds to the legislative support for the proposed reform, but further approvals remain necessary.

For the state, the next stage would involve developing the legal, administrative, personnel and funding arrangements needed to establish a state police service if the constitutional amendment is completed.

Marah said the Assembly would enact appropriate legislation to guide the service’s operations and personnel welfare when the proposal takes effect.

He also urged residents to support the initiative, arguing that improved security would help farmers return to their farms and harvest their produce without fear of kidnapping.

The wider debate over state police remains centred on whether decentralised policing can improve local security while maintaining professional standards, protecting civil liberties and preventing political interference.

For Sani, the Assembly’s approval advances a proposal he had pursued since his time in the Senate. Whether the reform delivers the intended results will ultimately depend on the constitutional safeguards, institutional independence, funding and accountability arrangements put in place before and after state police services become operational.