State Police bill passage advances as Nigerian House of Representatives approves constitutional amendment to decentralise policing across the federation

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a landmark constitutional amendment to create a framework for the establishment of state police, marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s policing structure amid growing national security concerns.

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A total of 289 lawmakers voted in favour of the State Police Bill Passage during plenary, effectively altering the 1999 Constitution to allow state governments to establish and operate their own police forces alongside the Federal Police.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, described the decision as a decisive constitutional step towards building a more responsive policing system tailored to local security realities while preserving national unity and sovereignty.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, presented the report on the bill and said the proposal had undergone extensive public hearings and enjoyed broad national support.

According to him, there is an emerging consensus that decentralising policing would significantly improve response times and enhance community-level security management.

“We should make this constitution review a legacy,” Kalu said, stressing the urgency of reforms aimed at strengthening internal security architecture.

The House resorted to manual counting during the vote after the electronic voting system failed shortly before proceedings began, delaying the process briefly but not altering the outcome.

The approved amendment specifically modifies Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to formally establish both Federal Police and State Police structures.

Under the proposed framework, the President will appoint the Inspector-General of Police based on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly, and from among serving officers of the Federal Police.

At the state level, governors will appoint Commissioners of Police on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council, subject to confirmation by State Houses of Assembly, selecting from serving officers within the State Police structure.

The bill further empowers governors to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and maintenance of law and order within their respective states.

It also amends 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.

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The State Police Bill Passage is widely regarded as one of the most consequential security reforms in recent legislative history, reflecting increasing pressure to decentralise policing in response to persistent insecurity across parts of the country.