President Bola Tinubu has formally requested that the House of Representatives begin consideration of a constitutional amendment bill that would pave the way for the establishment of state police, signalling a renewed push by the executive to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system.
The proposal, transmitted to the House in a letter dated 15 June and addressed to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal basis for establishing state police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
The President urged lawmakers to accord the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, expedited legislative consideration, describing it as a major pillar of his administration’s efforts to reform the country’s security architecture.
Mr Tinubu stated that the bill is designed to establish “a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services” as part of measures to improve Nigeria’s capacity to tackle its growing security challenges.
He noted that the proposal builds on significant previous legislative efforts by the House of Representatives on the issue, whilst introducing additional safeguards to ensure that a dual policing structure operates effectively.
