By Priye Briggs
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to accelerate work on a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the creation of state police across Nigeria.
The proposal, titled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026”, seeks to revise the 1999 Constitution to provide legal backing for sub-national policing outfits. The move comes amid escalating insecurity nationwide.
In a letter read on the Senate floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu described the amendment as central to his plan to restructure Nigeria’s security system. “This amendment is designed to provide constitutional backing for the creation of state police services,” he wrote, adding that the draft incorporates inputs from both chambers of the National Assembly and includes safeguards to balance federal and state policing powers.
Akpabio immediately referred the bill to the Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, with a mandate to submit its report by Wednesday. He assured lawmakers that the Senate would use fast-track procedures to ensure swift passage before recess.
Akpabio hailed the move as historic, noting that Nigeria had lacked the political will to devolve policing for decades. “This law will make security more participatory by bringing in communities, young people, villages, local councils and state governments into the security structure,” he said, while stressing the need for safeguards against political misuse.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele called for bipartisan support, reminding senators that constitutional amendments require two-thirds approval and urging full attendance for the vote.
If passed by both chambers and ratified by state assemblies, the amendment would mark a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s security governance, ending years of debate over decentralised policing.