Senate confirms FCT excluded from state police plan - Abuja remains under federal control

Senate Chairman Yemi Adaramodu explained that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will not be included in Nigeria's planned state police system because Abuja lacks the constitutional institutions - specifically a governor and State House of Assembly - that the 36 states have. The FCT is directly administered by a federal minister under the Federal Executive Council, with legislative authority resting with the National Assembly.

If you live, work, or do business in Abuja, this means policing in the FCT will continue to be handled by federal police (Nigeria Police Force) rather than transitioning to a potential Abuja State Police. Security arrangements, policing strategies, and accountability mechanisms for law enforcement in the capital will remain under federal jurisdiction, not shift to a territorial police force as will happen in Nigeria's 36 states.

The exclusion stems from the FCT's unique administrative status - it's not a state but a territory governed directly by the Federal Government. While President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive the draft Executive National Policing Bill on September 3 for the state police system, this legislation will not apply to Abuja. Residents should note that any changes to policing in the FCT would require constitutional amendment or special federal legislation, not the state police framework being rolled out nationwide. This maintains the current federal policing structure in Nigeria's capital.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/08/why-fct-cant-have-state-police-senate/