The Gombe State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed the establishment of state police, joining the growing number of state legislatures supporting the proposed decentralisation of policing in Nigeria.
The decision was disclosed on Thursday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information and member of the Ad Hoc Committee on State Police, Musa Buba, shortly after lawmakers reached an agreement on the matter.
Buba, who also serves as the Assembly’s Chief Whip, confirmed that the lawmakers had adopted a position in support of establishing state police, aligning the state legislature with the National Assembly’s position on the proposed reform.
“We’ve passed it just now. Thus, we unanimously concurred with the position of the National Assembly. In other words, we collectively supported the establishment of state police,” Buba said.
The endorsement adds Gombe to the list of states supporting efforts to introduce state-level policing as part of broader discussions on improving Nigeria’s security architecture.
The proposal has continued to attract attention amid persistent security challenges across the country, including banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other criminal activities that have placed pressure on existing law enforcement structures.
Supporters of state police argue that decentralising policing could enable state governments and local security authorities to respond more quickly to threats, improve intelligence gathering and develop security strategies tailored to the needs of their communities.
However, the proposed reform has also generated debate over safeguards against political interference, human rights protections, accountability and the need to ensure that state police commands operate within a clear constitutional framework.
Gombe’s decision comes amid similar developments in other state assemblies. The Kaduna State House of Assembly has also approved constitutional amendment proposals relating to state police, reflecting the growing momentum behind the reform.
Despite the growing support, the establishment of state police requires the necessary constitutional amendment process to be completed before the proposed system can become operational nationwide.
The National Assembly and state legislatures therefore remain central to determining the legal framework, powers and safeguards that would govern the proposed policing arrangement.
Gombe’s unanimous endorsement signals a significant political position in favour of decentralised policing, although further legislative and constitutional steps will be required before state police can be fully established.
