The House of Representatives has finally passed its long awaited constitutional amendment bill which seek to establish state police across Nigeria into law.
With this legislative landmark several decade of debate for or against decentralising of policing across the country has been brought to a halt.
Before the adoption and eventual passage of the bill entitled: ‘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,’ the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, pleaded with all members in attendance to participate actively in the manual voting process.
The Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, while presenting the report of his Committee on the proposal used the opportunity to canvass support from lawmakers even as he also emphasised the need for a more decentralised policing framework across the country to effectively tackle Nigeria’s rising insecurity.
Speaking while announcing the result of the votes by members presence during the exercise, Speaker Abbas announced a total of 289 out of 290 lawmakers who voted in support of the bill while one member abstained from it and none voted against it.
Sources informed that the constitutional amendment is seeking to fundamentally restructure Nigeria’s policing architecture by creating both federal and state police formations.
But in another twist, a member Hon Usman Zubairu raise a point of Order on the matter but was ruled out by the Speaker.
The lawmaker who represents Birnin/ Gwari Federal Constituency of Kaduna State lamented that he was not provided with any document for the voting exercise.
Zubairu had pointed out that in a critical national alteration of the Constitution, each member should have been provided with documents earlier before plenary for adequate consideration and suggestions over the subject matter.
Meanwhile, one of the major synopsis of the bill is to alter Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to formally establish the Federal Police and State Police. Under the proposal, the National Assembly would be empowered to prescribe the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the Federal Police, while also providing the legal framework and minimum standards for the establishment and operation of state police services across the country.
The expected law also stipulates that no state police formation shall commence operations unless it is established through a law enacted by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as complying with national minimum standards to be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
Again, the bill limits federal intervention in the internal security affairs of states stating that the Federal Police may only intervene where there is a complete 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 other challenges.
Again, under the proposed law, the Commissioner of Police would 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 bill empowers governors to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and the maintenance of law and order. However, where a commissioner considers such directives unlawful or inconsistent with accepted policing standards, the matter may be referred to the Nigeria Police Council, whose decision shall be final.
The passage of the bill into law by green Chamber represents one of the most far-reaching security reforms contemplated since the return to democratic rule in 1999 and is expected to rekindle nationwide debate on issues relating to funding, accountability, operational control and safeguards against abuse.
Upon the House’s approval, the constitutional amendment bill will then proceed to the Red Chamber for concurrence after which it must secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly and receive presidential assent before becoming part of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Consequently, the House also adjourned plenary until the 7th of July 2026 to enable lawmakers visit their constituents and provide them with more democracy dividends.