National Assembly Moves Closer to State Police as Reps Pass Bill, Senate Backs Proposal

Efforts to decentralise policing in Nigeria recorded a significant breakthrough yesterday as the House of Representatives approved a constitutional amendment bill for the establishment of state police, while the Senate endorsed the proposal at second reading.

The bill received overwhelming support in the House, where 289 lawmakers voted in favour and only one opposed it. If eventually enacted, the amendment will permit states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Federal Police.

The proposal forms part of the constitutional amendment bills currently before the National Assembly and is aimed at strengthening security nationwide amid persistent challenges such as terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and communal conflicts.

Lawmakers supporting the measure argued that state police would improve grassroots security by allowing locally recruited officers to respond more effectively to threats within their communities.

During debate, supporters maintained that concerns about political interference could be addressed through constitutional checks and oversight mechanisms.

The House approval marks a major milestone for advocates of state policing, including governors, traditional rulers, security experts and civil society groups who have long called for a more decentralised security architecture.

At the Senate, the Bill for the Establishment of State Police and Related Matters (Sixth Alteration), 2026, sponsored by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, also progressed after receiving broad bipartisan support.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently referred the legislation to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further consideration.

Explaining the objectives of the bill, Bamidele said it was intended to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and address the limitations of the current policing system.

“The bill sought to modernise Nigeria’s security architecture by establishing Federal and State Police structures,” he said.

Several senators, particularly from the North, endorsed the proposal, arguing that state police would provide a sustainable solution to the country’s security challenges. Chief Whip Tahir Monguno also backed the bill, saying its passage would help regulate and address the growing number of vigilante groups operating across the country.

Africans Angle News