Amanze Chinonye
The House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced President Bola Tinubu’s Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, after withdrawing its own version of the proposed constitutional amendment in a move aimed at harmonising legislative efforts to establish state police across the country, Prime Business Africa reports.
During plenary, the House gave the Executive-sponsored bill its first and second readings before referring it to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative consideration.
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The decision effectively replaces the House’s earlier constitutional amendment bill on state police with the Executive’s proposal, eliminating parallel legislative processes and allowing lawmakers to focus on a single framework for the proposed security reform.
In a letter to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, President Tinubu said the bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal framework for the establishment and operation of state police services as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
The President said the proposal builds on previous legislative work undertaken by the House of Representatives while introducing additional safeguards to ensure the effective operation of a dual policing system involving both federal and state law enforcement agencies.
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According to Tinubu, the amendment is intended to create a more responsive and efficient policing structure capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
He described the legislation as a key component of his administration’s broader security sector reforms and urged lawmakers to expedite its consideration, describing the measure as critical to improving public safety and strengthening the country’s overall security framework.
The latest development follows earlier progress made by the National Assembly on the issue. In June, the House passed its own Constitution Alteration Bill on state police, while the Senate referred a similar proposal to its Committee on Constitution Review.
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The Executive’s proposal has now become the principal legislative vehicle before the House, with the Committee on Constitutional Review expected to examine its provisions and submit recommendations before the bill proceeds to the next stages of the constitutional amendment process.
The proposed amendment seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, enabling states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force under constitutional safeguards.
The state police proposal is one of the most significant constitutional reforms currently before the National Assembly and has attracted growing support from governors, security experts and other stakeholders, who argue that decentralised policing would strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance community policing and improve responses to kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
To become law, the constitutional amendment must secure the support of two-thirds of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, obtain approval from at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, and subsequently receive presidential assent.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
