By Ilesanmi Ajayi, Staff Reporter

The Senate has clarified that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, will not be included in the proposed state police arrangement, citing constitutional limitations that make it ineligible to operate an independent police force.

According to the Senate, the FCT lacks the constitutional structures required to establish and manage a state police system. Unlike Nigeria’s 36 states, Abuja does not have a governor, a state executive council, or other key institutions that would ordinarily oversee the administration and funding of a state-controlled police outfit.

The clarification comes amid ongoing national discussions on the creation of state police as part of broader efforts to address growing security challenges across the country. Lawmakers have argued that decentralising policing could improve intelligence gathering, enhance community engagement, and strengthen responses to local security threats.

However, the Senate noted that the unique status of the FCT under the Nigerian Constitution places it under the direct supervision of the Federal Government through the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. As a result, the territory does not possess the constitutional autonomy enjoyed by the states.

Officials further explained that security operations within the FCT would continue to be handled by the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, ensuring that residents remain adequately protected under existing arrangements.

The lawmakers added that any attempt to establish a separate police structure for Abuja would require significant constitutional amendments and the creation of governance institutions that currently do not exist within the territory.

The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to advancing reforms aimed at strengthening national security, while ensuring that any state police framework aligns with constitutional provisions and the peculiar administrative realities of the Federal Capital Territory.