ABUJA — The House of Representatives has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, was approved during plenary on Thursday following consideration by the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The bill aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the creation and operation of state police services alongside the existing federal police structure.
According to the House, the amendment seeks to address growing security challenges across the country by allowing states to establish their own police formations, subject to nationally prescribed standards and constitutional safeguards.
During the voting process, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the proposal, with 289 members voting in favour, none opposing, and one abstention.
Under the proposed amendment, state police forces can only commence operations after the enactment of enabling laws by their respective State Houses of Assembly and after they’ve met the minimum standards established by the National Assembly.
The bill also provides that the Nigeria Police Force will continue to exercise policing powers in any state where a state police service has not yet been established or become operational.
The proposed framework seeks to balance state autonomy with federal oversight. Federal intervention in a state’s internal security affairs would be limited to specific situations, including a complete breakdown of law and order, requests by a state governor, or circumstances where a state police service becomes unable to function effectively.
The amendment further proposes changes to the appointment process for senior police officers. Under the bill, the Inspector-General of Police would be appointed by the President 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 and confirmed by their respective State Houses of Assembly.
The legislation also empowers governors to issue lawful directives to state commissioners of police on matters relating to public safety and the maintenance of law and order. However, commissioners who consider such directives unlawful or inconsistent with established policing standards may refer the matter to the Nigeria Police Council for a final decision.
The passage of the bill by the House represents a major milestone in the long-running debate over state policing in Nigeria. Supporters argue that decentralised policing will improve local intelligence gathering, emergency response and community-based security operations.
The proposal, however, must still complete the constitutional amendment process, including approval by the Senate and ratification by at least two-thirds of the country’s State Houses of Assembly before it can become law.
The state police initiative has received increasing attention from lawmakers, state governors and security stakeholders amid concerns over rising insecurity in several parts of the country.
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