NEWS
Why FCT Was Excluded From State Police Plan — Senate
The Senate has explained why the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was excluded from the proposed constitutional framework for the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
According to the Senate, the exclusion is primarily linked to the unique constitutional and administrative structure of the FCT, which differs significantly from that of Nigeria’s 36 states.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the Federal Capital Territory could not be treated in the same manner as the states because it does not have a governor or a State House of Assembly.
Adaramodu explained that the FCT remains directly under the administration of the Federal Government and is headed by a minister who operates under the Federal Executive Council.
The Ekiti State lawmaker further noted that legislative powers over the territory are exercised by the National Assembly, unlike the states where elected Houses of Assembly are responsible for making laws.
He said, “I have heard many people raise a lot of questions on why the Federal Capital Territory is not among the plan for state police. The FCT issue is different. It is under the Federal Government.
“Again, the FCT does not have a governor. It is run by a minister who subscribes to the Federal Executive Council. It is from this FEC that the FCT takes directives and its administrative relevance.
“So, the federal capital does not have an assembly. It is the National Assembly that legislates for the FCT. This is why it can’t be different from what the Federal Government does. Therefore, the federal police are in charge.”
The clarification comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to restructure Nigeria’s policing system in response to persistent calls for greater decentralisation and the establishment of state-controlled police forces.
The proposed state police system is expected to fundamentally alter the way policing is administered across the country by giving states a greater role in maintaining security within their respective territories.
The Presidency had announced that President Bola Tinubu was expected to receive the draft Executive National Policing Bill on September 3 as part of the administration’s broader efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this following a meeting of the group at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila also unveiled a public information portal designed to enable Nigerians to submit memoranda and position papers that could contribute to the development of the proposed legislation before it is considered by the President and eventually transmitted to the National Assembly.
The emerging policing framework is expected to operate through two major components: constitutional amendments that provide the legal foundation for state police and an Executive Bill that would establish the operational framework for implementing the new system.
However, the proposed arrangement has already triggered questions about how state police would be funded, administered and supervised, particularly in states with limited financial resources.
Under the proposed constitutional amendments, State Houses of Assembly would have powers to make laws concerning the establishment, organisation, administration, funding and oversight of state police.
The states would consequently bear the primary responsibility for financing their respective police forces, although the framework also makes provisions for possible financial assistance from the Federal Government.
A new provision, Section 216A, states that the Federal Government shall provide grants or aid to state police on the recommendation of the National Police Council, subject to the approval of the National Assembly.
However, the provision does not establish a minimum level of federal funding, a specific funding formula or a guaranteed revenue stream for state police.
This means that states would be expected to shoulder the bulk of the financial burden associated with running their police formations, while federal assistance would depend on a recommendation from the National Police Council and subsequent approval by the National Assembly.
The National Police Council, chaired by the President and comprising other senior federal and state officials, could therefore play a significant role in determining the nature and extent of federal support available to state police forces.
The funding arrangement is expected to become one of the major areas of discussion as Nigeria moves closer to implementing the proposed decentralised policing model, particularly given the wide differences in the financial capacities of the states.
For the FCT, however, the situation remains different. Unlike the states, Abuja does not have a governor, State House of Assembly or an independent state-level constitutional structure responsible for policing matters. Its administration remains tied directly to the Federal Government, with the National Assembly exercising legislative authority over the territory.
Consequently, according to Adaramodu, policing in the FCT would continue to fall under the Federal Government and the existing federal policing structure rather than a proposed state police arrangement.
As discussions on the new policing architecture continue, the constitutional status of Abuja is expected to remain a key factor in determining how security is administered within the nation’s capital.
With the proposed state police framework still subject to further harmonisation, legislative consideration and implementation processes, the FCT is likely to retain its distinct policing arrangement unless future constitutional or legislative changes alter its current administrative status.