President Bola Tinubu has formally asked the House of Representatives to consider and approve a constitutional amendment bill that would establish state police across Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, titled the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for state policing.
In a letter read during Tuesday’s plenary, Tinubu said the bill is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by creating a dual policing system involving both the Federal Government and state governments.
According to the President, the proposal builds on earlier legislative efforts by the House of Representatives while introducing additional safeguards to ensure the system operates effectively.
“I am delighted to present to the House of Representatives for consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services,” the letter read.
Tinubu said the proposed amendment is aimed at addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges through a more responsive policing structure.
He also described the bill as a key part of his administration’s security reform agenda and urged lawmakers to speed up its consideration.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this Bill,” he said.
The development comes about two weeks after the Senate approved a similar constitutional amendment bill on state police with the support of more than two-thirds of its members.
If the House of Representatives passes the bill and it is subsequently endorsed by the required number of state Houses of Assembly, Nigeria will move closer to establishing state police services as part of efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
