The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across the country.
The bill, 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 consideration at the Committee of the Whole.
The bill scaled through after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in its favour following the presentation of the report by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu.
A manual voting process conducted by the House showed that 289 lawmakers supported the proposal, one member abstained, while no lawmaker voted against it.
The proposed amendment seeks to create a dual policing system comprising the Federal Police and State Police, as part of efforts to address the country’s growing security challenges through a more decentralised framework.
Under the proposal, Section 214 of the Constitution will be amended to formally establish both policing formations. The National Assembly will be empowered to prescribe the structure, administration and powers of the Federal Police, while also setting minimum standards for the establishment and operation of state police services.
The bill provides that no state police formation shall commence operations unless it is established through a law passed by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as complying with national standards to be prescribed by the National Assembly.
It also states that the Federal Police will continue to exercise policing powers in any state until its police service becomes fully operational.
To guard against abuse and undue interference, the bill limits federal intervention in the affairs of state police formations. Under the proposal, the Federal Police may only intervene where there is a breakdown of law and order, upon the request of a governor, or where a state police force becomes unable to function due to administrative, financial or operational challenges.
The amendment further proposes changes to the appointment and command structure of the police.
Under the new arrangement, the Inspector-General of Police will 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, a State Commissioner of Police will be appointed by a governor on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving officers of the State Police, subject to confirmation by the respective State House of Assembly.
The proposal 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 considers such directives unlawful or inconsistent with policing standards, the matter may be referred to the Nigeria Police Council for a final decision.
The bill also seeks to amend 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 passage of the bill marks a major step in the ongoing constitutional review process and revives a long-standing national debate over the desirability of state policing as a solution to insecurity.
For the amendment to become law, it must secure concurrence from the Senate, be approved by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly and subsequently receive presidential assent.
If eventually enacted, the legislation is expected to introduce a multi-layered policing system aimed at improving responses to banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other security threats through greater local participation in policing.
Credit: Daily Trust.
