State Police to Enhance Grassroots Security – PSN

The Parliament Support Network (PSN) has stated that the proposed creation of state police forces will markedly strengthen grassroots security and enhance Nigeria’s ability to address escalating security threats nationwide.

PSN made the claim in response to the House of Representatives’ passage of the State Police Bill, calling the move a significant step toward reforming the country’s security framework.

In a statement released in Abuja, PSN Executive Director Dr. Moses Onoja said the existing centralized policing system is under severe strain from rising incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence across the country.

He argued that state police would improve intelligence gathering, enable faster responses to security threats, and give law‑enforcement agencies a deeper understanding of local communities and their specific security concerns.

“State police will strengthen grassroots security and deepen the country’s ability to prevent and respond to crime. It is a reform whose time has come,” Onoja said.

Onoja noted that the overwhelming support for the bill among House members reflects a growing consensus on the need for innovative approaches to tackling insecurity.

The House of Representatives passed the constitutional amendment bill on Thursday, with 288 lawmakers voting in favor and only four opposing the proposal.

He contended that decentralizing policing would allow states to take a more active role in protecting lives and property while complementing federal security efforts.

Onoja also urged the Senate, state Houses of Assembly and other stakeholders to back the proposal to ensure its eventual incorporation into the Constitution.

While acknowledging that state police will not instantly solve all security problems, the PSN executive director said the reform is a critical structural change that can improve security governance and public safety across the federation.

He called on Nigerians to support the initiative, emphasizing that the country’s security challenges demand practical, decentralized solutions.