Nigeria has taken a significant step towards reforming its policing system, raising hopes of improved security for communities affected by years of violence, terrorism and kidnappings.
However, the development comes alongside concerns over separate legislation that critics warn could undermine the work of churches, humanitarian organisations and human rights groups documenting religious persecution and other abuses.
According to International Christian Concern (ICC), Nigeria’s National Assembly has forwarded a proposed constitutional amendment to lawmakers in all 36 states for review, which, if approved, would allow individual states to establish their own police forces.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, would introduce state-controlled police services to operate in parallel with the existing federal Nigeria Police Force.
The proposal requires the support of at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state assemblies for the proposed changes to become law.
It is the first of several proposed constitutional amendments to be sent to state lawmakers, signalling the priority being given to addressing the country’s longstanding security challenges.
National Assembly Clerk Kamoru Ogunlana explained that the move was prompted by the widespread public concern about insecurity and calls for changes to policing arrangements.
Nigeria has traditionally operated a centralised policing system, leaving state governors with considerable responsibility for maintaining security but limited authority over police operations.
Supporters of the proposed reform believe that establishing state police forces could improve responses to violence by placing officers with a better understanding of local communities, languages and geography closer to areas at risk.
It could also enable state governments to take more direct responsibility for preventing attacks and protecting residents, particularly in remote communities where delays in security responses have sometimes proved deadly.
The proposed changes could have important implications for Christian communities in northern and central Nigeria, where repeated attacks by armed groups have resulted in deaths, abductions, the destruction of churches and homes, and widespread displacement.
Nigeria continues to face threats from Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and armed Fulani militant networks, alongside widespread kidnappings and communal violence.
A six-year study by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) recorded 28,551 Christian deaths in the country between October 2019 and September 2025, compared with 13,224 Muslim deaths.
After adjusting for local religious populations, Christians were found to be 4.4 times more likely to be killed than Muslims.
A separate report by Open Doors found that abductions linked to extremist violence rose by 153% in the final quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
More recently, Christian nonprofit Equipping the Persecuted reported that at least 4,216 Christians were killed in Nigeria between January 1 and September 8, 2026, with much of the violence attributed to organised Fulani militant networks.
The findings have intensified concerns about the vulnerability of Christian communities and the effectiveness of existing security arrangements.
Nevertheless, decentralising policing would not automatically resolve these problems.
Critics have warned that state-controlled police forces could be exploited by governors or other political figures to intimidate opponents, suppress protests or discriminate against minority groups.
There is still uncertainty about funding, training, recruitment and how state police would coordinate with federal security agencies.
ICC said the potential benefits of the reform would therefore depend on “effective oversight, transparent procedures, professional training, and safeguards against political abuse.”
While the policing proposal offers the possibility of greater local protection, another bill progressing through Nigeria’s legislature has prompted fears about increased government control over independent organisations.
In July, senators gave the Foreign Aid (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1034), its second reading, allowing the proposal to advance to the next stage of legislative scrutiny.
The legislation proposes setting up a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission that would impose additional registration, financial reporting, auditing and compliance obligations for organisations that receive funding from other countries.
Its stated purpose is to strengthen transparency, prevent the improper handling of foreign aid and ensure that externally funded activities contribute to national development priorities.
However, religious leaders and human rights advocates fear that the proposals could restrict the independence of organisations providing humanitarian assistance and investigating abuses.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called for the legislation to be halted following its Second Plenary Meeting in Osun State in September.
The bishops argued that organisations receiving foreign assistance are already subject to regulatory requirements and warned that the bill could introduce unnecessary bureaucracy, impacting churches and other places of worship, educational institutions and charities providing assistance to those in need.
Particular concern has been raised over provisions allowing authorities to reject registration applications or renewals where an organisation's activities are considered contrary to the “national interest.”
Critics fear that the broad wording could give officials considerable discretion over organisations whose work involves exposing government failures or documenting sensitive human rights violations.
Human Rights Watch has similarly warned that requirements for foreign-funded activities to align with Nigeria’s national development plans and priorities could threaten the independence of civil society. It raises concerns over potential penalties, including financial sanctions, the revocation of operating licences and imprisonment.
For groups documenting religious persecution, the implications could be particularly serious.
Local churches, humanitarian workers, journalists and civil society organisations often provide some of the earliest accounts of attacks in remote communities, recording casualties, displacement, destroyed property and the needs of survivors.
Their findings help researchers and international organisations identify patterns of violence that might otherwise go unnoticed.
ICC warned that additional government oversight could discourage organisations reliant on funding from abroad from publishing findings critical of the authorities, potentially limiting the information available about religious persecution and security failures.
Such concerns are especially relevant in regions where faith-based organisations provide essential assistance to displaced families and communities affected by armed violence.
The two legislative developments therefore present contrasting possibilities for Nigeria’s response to insecurity.
While supporters believe state policing could improve responses to local security threats, critics of the proposed foreign aid legislation fear that greater government oversight could hinder efforts to document abuses, respond adequately and hold authorities accountable.
Both proposals remain subject to further legislative consideration and their eventual impact will depend heavily on the safeguards and accountability measures adopted.
Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
