…Says state police alone won’t guarantee reforms
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Constitutional lawyer and former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has urged the Federal Government to complement its proposed state police reforms by constitutionally insulating key national institutions from executive interference.
In a letter dated June 26, 2026, addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and made available to journalists on Monday, Agbakoba commended President Bola Tinubu for forwarding an executive bill to the National Assembly seeking to amend Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to establish state police.
He described the proposal as a welcome step that could bring policing closer to the people if properly implemented. However, he cautioned that decentralising policing without adequate constitutional safeguards could expose state police to political manipulation.
