In a major step toward reshaping Nigeria’s internal security framework, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026 to the Senate.
The executive communication, dated June 15, 2026, was read on the floor of the upper legislative chamber during Tuesday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The bill seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to pave the way for a decentralized, dual policing structure across the federation.
In his letter to the National Assembly, President Tinubu emphasized that the legislation is a critical component of his administration’s broader strategy to reorganize the nation’s security architecture and better protect its citizens.
“This bill seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police services in Nigeria,” the President stated. “It builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure can address our nation’s evolving security challenges.”
The proposed amendment is designed to allow individual state governments to establish, fund, and operate their own local police forces alongside the existing federal Nigeria Police Force. Under the new arrangement, local government areas, municipalities, and communities are expected to take on more active roles in managing public safety.
Receiving the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the initiative as an “epoch-making legislation” capable of fundamentally curbing rampant insecurity, including banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping.
Akpabio immediately referred the executive bill to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, with a strict directive to review the provisions and report back to the plenary by Wednesday for further legislative action.
Underscoring the necessity of localized law enforcement, Akpabio remarked “Residents and local authorities are always best positioned to identify suspicious movements and criminal elements within their neighborhoods. This structure ensures we can react proactively rather than reactively to security threats before they escalate.”
The Senate leadership revealed that the constitutional alteration process will be implemented in distinct phases, combining the immediate constitutional amendment with subsequent acts of parliament to ensure proper institutional oversight.
The push for state policing has gained unprecedented momentum over the last year. Historically, the centralized command structure of the Nigeria Police Force has faced sharp criticism for being slow to respond to localized crises.
President Tinubu has consistently advocated for decentralization since taking office. During his recent Democracy Day national address, he highlighted that while over 13,000 insurgents and terrorists had been neutralized over the past year, deep structural changes were still required to permanently stabilize the country.
While the bill enjoys overwhelming support from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the leadership of the National Assembly, it faces intense scrutiny regarding potential political misuse. Critics have frequently raised concerns that state governors might weaponize localized forces against political opponents or regional minorities. To counter this, the newly transmitted bill explicitly outlines legal “safeguards” intended to prevent political interference and ensure high professional standards.
Because the proposal involves a fundamental alteration to the 1999 Constitution, the bill faces a rigorous legislative hurdle that must clear a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and once passed federally, it must be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly, requiring formal approval from no fewer than 24 state legislatures.
Only after securing these constitutional milestones will the bill return to President Tinubu’s desk to be signed into law.
With legislative stakeholders and state governors reportedly “on the same page,” the National Assembly is expected to expedite deliberations on the bill throughout the week, marking a historic turning point in Nigeria’s democratic and security history.
