The Presidency on Thursday said significant progress has been made towards the establishment of state police, with a constitutional amendment expected in the coming weeks following extensive consultations among key stakeholders.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after a high-level consultative meeting convened at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the process, initiated on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has advanced considerably over the past three to four months, with discussions now focused on finalising the constitutional amendment required to establish state police.

“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,” Gbajabiamila said.

He added that while work is ongoing on the constitutional amendment, the enabling legislation would follow once the amendment is secured.

According to him, the national conversation has shifted from whether state police should be created to how best to structure its legal and institutional framework for effective operation.

Gbajabiamila noted that President Tinubu, who has consistently advocated decentralised policing as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, would be presented with a comprehensive report on the outcome of the consultations.

The meeting forms part of a series of engagements by the Federal Government aimed at developing a workable framework for state police, with the objective of improving internal security, enhancing intelligence gathering, and empowering sub-national governments to tackle emerging security challenges.

Among those in attendance were the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, among other senior officials.

The push for state police has gained renewed momentum in recent months amid growing concerns over Nigeria’s security challenges, with proponents arguing that a decentralised policing system would strengthen grassroots security and improve the protection of lives and property across the country.