By The Nigerian House of Representatives has stepped aside from its earlier constitutional amendment proposal on state policing and will instead proceed with a similar bill submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision was announced during Tuesday’s plenary, where the Executive-sponsored Constitution Alteration Bill on State Police successfully passed its first and second readings. Lawmakers subsequently referred the proposed legislation to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed examination.
With this development, the House’s initial proposal has effectively been set aside, paving the way for the Executive’s version to become the primary legislative vehicle for establishing state police across the country.
The committee is expected to scrutinize the provisions of the bill before presenting its recommendations to the House for further debate and consideration.
President Tinubu had earlier transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, to the National Assembly, seeking constitutional approval for the creation of state-controlled police services as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s security system.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, the president explained that the proposed amendment is intended to provide the legal foundation for state policing while strengthening the country’s overall security framework.
According to Tinubu, the bill builds on previous legislative work already undertaken by the House but introduces additional safeguards aimed at ensuring the smooth operation of a dual policing system in which federal and state police authorities function alongside one another.
The president noted that the proposed constitutional changes are designed to improve the nation’s ability to respond to evolving security threats through a more effective and ddecentralized policing structure.
He also described the legislation as a major pillar of his administration’s security reform programme, expressing confidence that lawmakers would give the proposal prompt consideration.
Tinubu urged members of the National Assembly to expedite legislative action on the bill, stressing that the reforms are essential to improving public safety and enhancing Nigeria’s security architecture.
The President’s proposal comes just weeks after the Senate approved a similar constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police services across the federation, signaling growing legislative support for decentralized policing in Nigeria.
