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President Tinubu Seeks Constitutional Amendment to Establish State Police, Urges Reps to Fast-Track Bill
President Tinubu Seeks Constitutional Amendment to Establish State Police, Urges Reps to Fast-Track Bill
President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the House of Representatives to approve a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the establishment of state police, marking a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system and strengthen the country’s security architecture.
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The proposal, contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, was transmitted to the National Assembly in a letter dated June 15, 2026. The letter was read during Tuesday’s plenary by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
In his communication to lawmakers, President Tinubu appealed for accelerated consideration of the bill, describing the proposed legislation as one of the cornerstone reforms of his administration’s comprehensive strategy to tackle Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
According to the President, the amendment is designed to create “a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services” that would strengthen the country’s ability to respond more effectively to insecurity across the federation.
Tinubu explained that the proposal was not developed in isolation but builds upon previous legislative efforts already undertaken by the House of Representatives.
He noted that additional constitutional safeguards have been incorporated into the bill to ensure that the proposed dual policing structure operates efficiently while addressing concerns that have long surrounded the creation of state police.
“This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians,“ President Tinubu stated.
Reaffirming the importance of the legislation, Tinubu described the amendment as a critical element of his administration’s broader plan to restructure Nigeria’s security framework in response to increasingly complex security threats confronting the nation.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this bill,“ the President added.
If approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the constitutional amendment would still require ratification by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly before becoming law.
Once completed, the amendment would formally establish a dual policing framework, allowing both the Federal Government and state governments to operate constitutionally recognised police services.
The renewed push for state police comes amid persistent calls for reforms to Nigeria’s security system, with the issue remaining one of the country’s most debated constitutional matters for more than two decades. Successive administrations, state governors, security experts and stakeholders have argued that the centrally controlled Nigeria Police Force has become increasingly overstretched in confronting terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and other forms of violent crime across the country.
In response to these growing security concerns, several regional and state-backed security outfits have emerged in recent years to complement the efforts of federal security agencies. Among them are Amotekun in the South-West and Ebube Agu in parts of the South-East, both established to improve local security and intelligence gathering.
Supporters of state policing argue that decentralising law enforcement would enhance intelligence collection, improve response times to security incidents, promote community policing and enable states to address local security threats more effectively.
However, opponents have consistently expressed fears that state-controlled police could be manipulated by governors and other political actors to intimidate opponents or interfere in electoral processes.
With the bill now before the National Assembly, lawmakers are expected to begin extensive deliberations on its provisions. The proposal is likely to reignite national debate over the structure, funding, operational independence, oversight mechanisms and constitutional safeguards that would govern the establishment and operation of state police across Nigeria.
