House of Reps Passes State Police Bill with 311 Votes, Moves Nigeria to Decentralised Policing

House of Reps Passes State Police Bill with 311 Votes, Moves Nigeria to Decentralised Policing

• The landmark constitutional amendment bill, transmitted by President Bola Tinubu, seeks to establish state-controlled police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force amid minority walkout protest.

In a historic move to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture, the House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly passed the executive bill seeking to establish state police across the federation. No fewer than 311 lawmakers voted in support of the constitutional amendment bill, with Speaker Tajudeen Abbas confirming that 35 members participated virtually while 276 voted physically in the chamber. The legislation, 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 Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797),” was approved following the consideration and adoption of the report of the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. The decision followed the Nigerian Senate’s earlier passage of its version of the legislation, bringing the proposed reform closer to becoming law. This comes weeks after the House had separately passed a constitutional amendment bill on state police, during which about 288 lawmakers supported the proposal.

President Bola Tinubu transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026 to the House of Representatives last week, describing it as a “critical component” of his administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture. In his letter to the House, the President stated that the bill builds on the significant work already done by the National Assembly and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure the effective implementation of a dual policing structure. Upon receiving the executive proposal, the House rescinded its earlier resolution of June 11, 2026, on the establishment of state police and dissolved the 12-member Conference Committee it had constituted on July 9, 2026. The decision allowed lawmakers to proceed with the executive-backed version of the constitutional amendment.

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The proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to formally establish both Federal Police and State Police formations across the country. Under the proposal, the National Assembly will determine the structure, organisation, administration, and powers of the Federal Police, while also providing the legal framework and national standards for establishing state police services. The bill provides that no state police force can begin operations unless it is established through a law passed by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as meeting the minimum national standards prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. Until then, the Federal Police will continue to perform policing duties in any state without an operational state police service. The legislation also limits the circumstances under which the Federal Police can intervene in a state’s internal security matters. Such intervention would only be permitted in cases of a complete breakdown of law and order, at the request of a state governor, or where a state police force becomes unable to function because of administrative, financial, or other challenges.

The bill proposes significant changes to the appointment and command structure of the police. Under the amendment, the Inspector-General of Police would be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Federal Police, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. State Commissioners of Police would be appointed by governors on the advice of the National Police Council from among serving members of the State Police, subject to confirmation by their respective State Houses of Assembly. The proposal also empowers governors to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and maintaining law and order. However, where a commissioner believes such directives are unlawful or inconsistent with accepted policing standards, the matter may be referred to the National Police Council, whose decision would be final. To address concerns over possible abuse of state police by political authorities, lawmakers incorporated safeguards to protect civil liberties and political freedoms. One provision states that a state Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate, or deploy force against any individual, political party, or group merely for criticising a government, except in accordance with the law.

Despite the overwhelming support for the bill, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives staged a walkout from the chamber in protest, accusing the House leadership of violating constitutional provisions and the chamber’s Standing Orders during the passage. Addressing journalists shortly after leaving the chamber, the Minority Leader, Fredrick Agbedi, insisted that their action was not borne out of opposition to state police but against what they described as the abuse of parliamentary procedures. The caucus argued that the Speaker, while presiding as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, ignored clear constitutional requirements governing the alteration of the Constitution. “Constitutional amendment bills must be considered clause by clause, with each provision supported by a two-thirds majority of members as stipulated in both the Constitution and the House Standing Orders,” Agbedi said. He faulted the decision to merely read the long title of the bill and determine its passage through a voice vote without detailed consideration of each clause. Defending his handling of the proceedings, Speaker Abbas said the constitutional threshold required for the amendment had already been met, noting that 276 members signed the attendance register in support while 35 more voted online, bringing the total to 311 lawmakers in support—well above the two-thirds requirement of 240 members.

Following the House’s passage, the bill will now require concurrence with the Senate, which had already passed its own version earlier. Both chambers of the National Assembly are working in close collaboration to fast-track the constitutional amendment process. The harmonised bill must then secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly (24 out of 36 states) before it can be transmitted to the President for assent to become part of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The push for state police has continued to receive support from several state governments. On Wednesday, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf declared that Kano was ready for the establishment of state police, describing the initiative as critical to improving security and protecting lives and property. “The proposed State Police will complement, not compete with, the Nigeria Police Force. Both institutions share the responsibility of protecting lives and property and maintaining law and order,” Yusuf said. He added, “Kano State has the institutional capacity, human resources, and political will to establish and sustain State Police when the necessary constitutional frameworks are in place.” The governor also pledged his administration’s support for efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security system, saying, “We will support every legitimate initiative that strengthens Nigeria’s security architecture and creates a safer environment for citizens.”

House of Reps Passes State Police Bill with 311 Votes, Moves Nigeria to Decentralised Policing