The House of Representatives on Thursday passed through third and final reading a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, marking a major step in one of Nigeria’s most far-reaching security reform efforts since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
The bill scaled through after the House adopted the report of the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Out of the 290 lawmakers present at plenary, 289 voted in support of the proposal, while only one member voted against it.
With the title, ‘Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026,’ the legislation seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to provide a legal framework for the establishment and operation of state police services across the federation.
The bill empowers the National Assembly to prescribe the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the Federal Police, while setting minimum standards for the establishment and operation of state police forces.
It provides that no state police formation can commence operations unless it is created through legislation passed by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as complying with national standards prescribed by the National Assembly.
Until a state police force becomes operational, the Federal Police will continue to exercise policing powers and responsibilities within the affected state.
The proposal also seeks to redefine the relationship between federal and state policing authorities by limiting federal intervention in state security affairs to specific circumstances.
Under the bill, the Federal Police may intervene where there is a complete breakdown of law and order that a state police force is unable to contain, where a governor formally requests intervention, or where a state police organisation becomes inoperative because of administrative, financial or other operational challenges.
The amendment further recognises the Federal Capital Territory as falling under the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal Police.
The legislation introduces significant changes to the appointment and command structure of policing institutions.
Under the proposed amendment to Section 215 of the Constitution, the Inspector-General of Police would be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Federal Police, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.
Similarly, State Commissioners of Police would be appointed by governors on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving officers of the respective state police services, subject to confirmation by State Houses of Assembly.
Governors would also be empowered to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and the maintenance of law and order.
However, where a commissioner considers such directives unlawful or inconsistent with accepted policing standards, the matter may be referred to the Nigeria Police Council, whose decision would be final.
The passage of the bill by the House is expected to reignite debate over the merits and risks of decentralised policing, including issues of funding, operational control, accountability and safeguards against political abuse.
If eventually approved by the Senate and endorsed by at least two-thirds of State Houses of Assembly before receiving presidential assent, the amendment would fundamentally alter Nigeria’s policing architecture and introduce a multi-layered law enforcement structure aimed at addressing local security challenges more effectively.
The voting process was preceded by a brief controversy over the timing of the consideration of the Constitution Review Committee’s report.
Malam Bashir Usman (ADC, Kaduna) objected to the consideration of the report, arguing that members received the document too late to adequately study its contents.
Usman, who represents Birnin Gwari/Giwa Federal Constituency, an area severely affected by banditry and kidnapping, questioned the urgency of debating major security reforms without sufficient scrutiny.
He argued that national security agencies, including the police and military, had yet to provide convincing explanations for their inability to adequately protect lives and property.
Responding, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas ruled that lawmakers were already familiar with the issues under consideration and insisted that the House proceed with debate in view of the worsening security situation across the country.
“Let us, for the sake of insecurity in the country, consider the issue,” Abbas said as he directed the lawmaker to resume his seat.
Following the ruling, Leader of the House, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, moved a motion to suspend relevant House rules to allow immediate consideration of the report. The motion was seconded by Minority Leader Frederick Agbedi and adopted through a voice vote.
Presenting the report, Deputy Speaker Kalu acknowledged the extensive nature of the constitutional review exercise but explained that the House had prioritised security-related amendments, particularly the state police proposal.
“We have a bulky document. Today we have abridged it by prioritising a few of them,” he said.
Kalu urged lawmakers to support the bill, describing it as a historic reform capable of strengthening local security systems and improving public safety.
“With state police, we will get people who know us and can protect us. Let us show Nigerians that their lives are protected. I beg this House to leave a lasting legacy,” he appealed.
The bill, which contains 18 clauses, seeks to amend several constitutional provisions, including Sections 214 and 215, to formally establish both Federal Police and State Police institutions.
Following the failure of the electronic voting system, lawmakers resorted to a manual vote by a show of hands after the Speaker read the long title of the bill and put the question to the House.
The overwhelming support recorded during the vote underscored growing legislative backing for state policing amid persistent concerns over insecurity across the country.
Speaking after the passage of the bill, Abbas described security as the foundation upon which all other national aspirations depend.
“By passing this Bill, the House has taken a decisive constitutional step towards creating a policing framework that is more responsive to local realities while remaining firmly anchored within the unity and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Kalu also hailed the outcome as evidence of the House’s responsiveness to widespread calls for security sector reform and improved governance structures.
Senate Advances Similar Bill
In a related development, the Senate on Thursday passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish state police and transfer certain policing responsibilities to sub-national governments.
The proposed legislation, with the title“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police and for Related Matters (Sixth Alteration), 2026 (SB.794)”, was sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
The bill received broad support from senators across party lines before being referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, for further legislative work.
Leading the debate, Bamidele argued that Nigeria’s worsening security situation had exposed the limitations of the country’s centralised policing structure.
He cited terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, cultism, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism and cybercrime among the threats that have increasingly stretched the capacity of existing security institutions.
According to him, the bill seeks to modernise Nigeria’s security framework through the creation of federal and state policing structures with clearly defined responsibilities and oversight mechanisms.
The proposal would also move policing powers from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, allowing both federal and state governments to exercise constitutional authority over policing matters.
Bamidele argued that the reform would strengthen rather than weaken Nigeria’s federal system.
“The reform does not weaken national unity,” he said, adding that it would enable different tiers of government to better discharge their constitutional responsibilities.
Addressing concerns that state governors could abuse control of state police forces, the Senate Leader said the bill contains several safeguards, including federal oversight mechanisms, uniform national standards, legislative confirmation of senior appointments and periodic reviews of state police operations.
He added that provisions permitting federal intervention during a total breakdown of law and order were intended to ensure accountability and maintain national security.
Bamidele maintained that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering, facilitate faster responses to security threats and strengthen public trust in law enforcement institutions.
He also argued that state police would allow the Federal Police to concentrate on interstate crimes, terrorism, organised criminal networks, border security, cybercrime and the protection of critical national assets.
Drawing comparisons with other federal systems, he noted that countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and Germany operate multi-layered policing arrangements involving federal and sub-national law enforcement agencies.
“Nigeria, as a federation, should not be an exception,” he argued.
Several senators, particularly from northern states affected by insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, expressed support for the proposal, describing it as a potential long-term solution to the country’s security challenges.
Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) said the establishment of state police would help regulate the growing number of vigilante groups operating across the country.
According to him, the bill would provide a formal legal framework capable of ensuring professionalism, accountability and effectiveness in local policing operations.
However, the debate was not without controversy.
Adamu Aliero, senator representing Kebbi Central, raised a constitutional point of order, warning that the Senate must strictly comply with constitutional procedures governing amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
Aliero reminded lawmakers that constitutional alteration bills require the support of not less than two-thirds of members of each chamber of the National Assembly and must subsequently secure approval from at least two-thirds of State Houses of Assembly.
“I support the idea of state policing, but we must comply with the provisions of the Constitution,” he said.
“Otherwise, if we go ahead with this debate, whatever we decide, whatever we do, will be a nullity.”
His intervention prompted a closed-door executive session among senators.
When lawmakers returned to the chamber, they moved on to consider budget-related matters.
The development came amid observations that senators present during plenary were fewer than the two-thirds majority eventually required for constitutional amendment votes.
The state police proposal will now be examined alongside other constitutional amendment bills by the Senate committee reviewing the Constitution before it returns to the chamber for further consideration.
If eventually approved by both chambers of the National Assembly, endorsed by at least 24 State Houses of Assembly and assented to by the President, the amendment would usher in a new era of decentralised policing in Nigeria.
Supporters argue that the reform could significantly strengthen local security responses to banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes, while critics continue to caution against possible political misuse of state-controlled police formations.
The debate over state police, one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s constitutional aond security discourse, is therefore expected to intensify as the amendment process progresses through its remaining legislative stages.
