From Victor Osula, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Thursday took a historic step towards overhauling Nigeria’s security architecture, passing a constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police across the federation and approving 18 constitutional alteration clauses aimed at strengthening governance, security, and institutional effectiveness.
The landmark legislation, titled “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) Bill, 2026,” was approved during plenary presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The development marks one of the most significant constitutional and security reforms undertaken by the National Assembly since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and comes amid growing concerns over rising insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, and communal violence across the country.
The House adopted the report on the proposed establishment of state police during consideration of recommendations presented by the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
Presenting the report, Kalu urged lawmakers to support the proposal, arguing that a decentralised policing framework had become necessary to effectively address Nigeria’s increasingly complex security challenges and improve response to criminal activities at the grassroots level.
Following debate on the report, voting was conducted manually at the Committee of the Whole, with members raising their hands to indicate their positions.
At the end of the exercise, 289 lawmakers voted in favour of the bill, one member abstained, while no lawmaker voted against it, demonstrating overwhelming bipartisan support for the constitutional amendment.
The House also approved 18 constitutional amendment clauses as part of the broader constitutional review exercise aimed at reforming critical aspects of governance and public administration.
A central feature of the state police bill is the proposed amendment of Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to formally establish both Federal Police and State Police formations.
Under the proposed framework, the National Assembly would retain authority to prescribe the structure, organisation, administration, and powers of the Federal Police while also setting minimum standards and legal requirements for the establishment and operation of state police services nationwide.
The bill stipulates that no state police formation can commence operations unless it is created through legislation enacted by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as meeting nationally prescribed minimum standards.
It further provides that until any state police force becomes operational, the Federal Police shall continue to exercise policing responsibilities within that state.
In what appears to be an attempt to balance decentralisation with national oversight, the bill limits the circumstances under which the Federal Police may intervene in the affairs of state police formations.
According to the proposal, federal intervention would only occur in situations involving a complete breakdown of law and order, upon the request of a state governor, or where a state police force becomes unable to function due to administrative, financial, or operational challenges.
The amendment also introduces significant reforms to the police command structure and appointment process.
Under the proposed changes to Section 215 of the Constitution, the Inspector-General of Police would be appointed by the President based on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council and 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 formations and confirmed by their State Houses of Assembly.
The bill empowers governors to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and maintenance of law and order.
However, where a commissioner believes such directives are unlawful or inconsistent with established policing standards, the matter may be referred to the Nigeria Police Council, whose decision would be final.
The legislation also amends Section 84 of the Constitution by replacing references to the “National Police Council and the Federal Police Service Commission” with the “Nigeria Police Council and the Police Service Commission.”
The House’s approval reflects growing consensus among federal lawmakers, state governors, and security stakeholders that Nigeria’s current centrally controlled policing system requires reforms to meet contemporary security realities.
Advocates of state policing have long argued that decentralisation would improve intelligence gathering, enhance community engagement, and enable quicker responses to security threats.
