The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, marking a significant step towards decentralising policing amid rising insecurity across the country.
The proposed legislation, which was considered and adopted clause-by-clause at the Committee of the Whole, provides a legal framework for states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
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,” seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to accommodate sub-national policing.
Its passage followed the transmission of a similar Constitution Alteration Bill by Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly a day earlier, urging lawmakers to fast-track reforms that would empower states to tackle security challenges more effectively.
The House of Representatives had earlier approved the measure after it secured overwhelming support from lawmakers, signalling broad legislative backing for the initiative.
Advocates of state police have long argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing structure has become overstretched and ineffective in addressing evolving threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and communal clashes.
They contend that decentralised policing would enhance intelligence gathering and rapid response, as locally recruited officers are more familiar with the terrain and security dynamics within their jurisdictions.
Despite the Senate’s approval, the bill is yet to become law. In line with constitutional requirements, it must be ratified by a majority of state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.
The push for state police has gained momentum in recent years, with governors, security experts and civil society groups intensifying calls for reforms to address Nigeria’s worsening security situation.
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