Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN
Attorney-General and Commissioner for ustice, Ondo State_
By Kayode Ajulo, SAN
The passage of the State Police Bill by the Ondo State House of Assembly is a significant milestone in our collective effort to build a more responsive and effective policing system for Nigeria. It marks another important step in a journey shaped by years of advocacy, national debate and growing recognition that our security architecture must evolve with the realities of our country.
Across Nigeria, kidnapping, attacks on farming communities and other criminal activities continue to disrupt livelihoods and undermine public confidence. These challenges reinforce the need for a policing system that is better equipped to understand and respond to the distinct circumstances of our states and communities.
I warmly commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership in advancing the national conversation on State Police. I also salute His Excellency, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for his commitment to the welfare of the people of Ondo State, and the Speaker and distinguished members of the Ondo State House of Assembly for their courage and foresight in endorsing this important proposal.
For me, this development is particularly gratifying because State Police is a cause I have consistently supported and worked to advance. I have long maintained that a country as large and diverse as Nigeria needs a policing system that responds more effectively to the realities of its constituent states and communities.
As Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, we have remained committed to moving this conversation beyond advocacy towards a practical, legally sound and accountable framework. Our position has always been clear: concerns about possible abuse should not prevent necessary reform; they should compel us to build stronger safeguards against it.
State Police must be professionally managed, adequately funded and subject to robust oversight. It must uphold fundamental rights, operate within the rule of law and remain protected against political interference and personal vendettas.
The Constitutional Pathway Ahead
It is important to recognise that the Assembly’s passage of the Bill is an endorsement of a proposed constitutional amendment, not the conclusion of the process. Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, a constitutional alteration requires approval by resolutions of at least two-thirds of all State Houses of Assembly, 24 of the 36 states. The proposal must then complete the remaining National Assembly procedures and receive presidential assent in accordance with Section 9(3) before the constitutional amendment can take effect.
Thereafter, the necessary national enabling legislation and state-level laws must establish the framework for the creation and operation of State Police Services, including recruitment, funding, command structures, professional standards and independent oversight.
This distinction matters. Our task is not simply to secure approval for an idea, but to ensure that the resulting legal and institutional framework is workable, accountable and capable of delivering meaningful change.
We are encouraged to see sustained advocacy translating into legislative action. We are proud to have contributed to this important cause and remain committed to supporting the legal and institutional work required to bring its promise to fruition.
The real success of State Police will be measured by the quality of the institutions we build, the trust they earn and the justice they deliver.
I commend all those who have helped bring us this far. With sustained political will, sound legislation and a shared commitment to the public interest, we can turn this historic step into lasting progress for Ondo State and Nigeria.
Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN
_Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State_
Ajulo is the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Iin zOndo State
