A committee set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has recommended that at least 60% of Nigeria’s police officers be transferred to the proposed State Police Services across the country.
The recommendation is part of a comprehensive 75-page framework submitted on Thursday to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
With Nigeria’s current police strength at about 370,000 officers serving an estimated 200 million people (a ratio of 1:600, far below the UN standard of 1:450), the proposal means roughly 222,000 officers would move to state commands if adopted.
Key Recommendations
The report proposes a two-tier policing system consisting of:A Federal Police Service (FPS) focused on national security, terrorism, interstate crimes, and federal offences.
37 State Police Services (one for each state and the FCT) responsible for local crimes, armed robbery, domestic violence, and community policing.
It includes a Voluntary Transfer Programme allowing officers to move to their home states or preferred states, with incentives such as a three-month salary grant, transition training, and guaranteed pension continuity.
The framework also recommends the creation of a National Police Standards Board to set and enforce uniform standards for recruitment, training, conduct, and accountability across all police services.
Additional safeguards aim to prevent governors from abusing state police, including independent service commissions, ombudsmen, body-worn cameras, and strict constitutional prohibitions on partisan deployment.
Funding is to come from a dedicated State Police Fund with 3% statutory allocation from the Federation Account and at least 15% contribution from each state’s security budget.
The committee suggested a 60-month phased implementation of the entire programme.
Mixed Reactions
Security experts have expressed divided opinions. Some, like Mike Ejiofor, a former DSS Director, argued that state police should recruit and train fresh personnel rather than inherit federal officers, and criticised the National Police Standards Board as giving the federal government excessive control.
Others, including Dr Ndu Nwokolo of Nextier SPD, welcomed the oversight mechanisms as necessary to prevent political abuse.
Senate PositionSenate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele assured that the National Assembly is working on a decentralised police model that prioritises accountability and protects citizens’ rights while preventing abuse by the political class.
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