A committee set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has proposed a sweeping restructuring of Nigeria’s policing system, recommending that 60 percent of current police personnel be reassigned to state-controlled police formations if state policing is approved.
The recommendation is part of a detailed report submitted to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin. The proposal has already generated mixed reactions among security experts, with some backing its framework and others raising concerns about feasibility.
Nigeria currently has about 370,000 police officers serving a population of over 200 million, creating a ratio of roughly one officer to 600 citizens—below the United Nations benchmark of one officer to 450 people. If implemented, the plan would see approximately 222,000 officers redeployed to state police structures.
The committee proposed a dual policing system, comprising a Federal Police Service and 37 State Police Services, including the Federal Capital Territory. Under this arrangement, the federal police would handle national security issues such as terrorism and interstate crimes, while state police would focus on local offences like armed robbery, homicide, and domestic violence.
To ease the transition, a Voluntary Transfer Programme was recommended, allowing officers to move to their states of origin or preferred locations. Incentives would include a three-month salary support grant, specialised training, and guaranteed pension continuity.
The report also called for the creation of a National Police Standards Board to regulate recruitment, training, discipline, and funding benchmarks across all police formations, alongside annual performance evaluations.
Community policing was identified as a key pillar of the reform, with states expected to establish local engagement platforms involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women groups. Officers fluent in local languages would be deployed to strengthen grassroots policing.
To address concerns over potential abuse by state governors, the framework includes safeguards such as independent state police commissions, legal penalties for political interference, and faster judicial review processes. Additional accountability measures would include ombudsmen, legislative oversight, body cameras, and public performance tracking systems.
Funding for state police would come from a proposed State Police Fund, financed through a three percent allocation from the Federation Account, state contributions, and other structured sources. Full implementation is projected to span 60 months.
However, some experts have criticised aspects of the proposal. Security consultant and former DSS director Mike Ejiofor argued against transferring the bulk of federal officers to state commands, suggesting instead that states should recruit and train their own personnel. He also called for state police to have the authority to tackle all categories of crime, including terrorism and banditry, with the option of transferring such cases to federal authorities for prosecution