Representatives pass state police bill despite minority walkout

Suliat Lawal

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Constitution Amendment (State Police) Bill, 2026, clearing another major hurdle in its bid to establish state police across Nigeria, despite protest and strike by members of the minority caucus..

The bill, which seeks to create a constitutional framework for the establishment and operation of state police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force, was passed after 311 lawmakers participated in the voting process, exceeding the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority.

House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said 276 members were physically present in the chamber, while another 35 participated virtually through the National Assembly’s electronic platform.

He explained that the Constitution requires the support of at least 240 members of the 360-member House for any constitutional amendment to pass.

The bill was passed after the House, meeting as the Committee of the Whole, adopted the report of the House Committee on the Revision of the Constitution chaired by the Vice President, Benjamin Kalu.

However, the passage sparked protests from members of the minority caucus, who staged a walkout after the bill was passed without considering its provisions point by point.

Leading the debate, Kalu described the proposed amendment as a key step towards overhauling Nigeria’s security architecture amid worsening insecurity across the country.

According to him, the amendment would only provide the constitutional basis for the state police, while separate legislation would address critical operational issues such as recruitment, training, funding, accountability, oversight, operational standards and coordination between federal and state security agencies.

“This bill represents a significant and practical first step toward establishing the state police. It lays the constitutional foundation upon which a modern, professional, accountable and effective state police system can be built,” Kalu said.

He acknowledged concerns expressed by some legislators and stakeholders about the proposal, but argued that such issues could be addressed through the implementing law that should follow.

Kalu also revealed that President Bola Tinubu had already constituted a committee to work on the implementation framework for the state police.

He urged lawmakers to place national interest above political considerations, saying the National Assembly has the opportunity to make history by passing reform that will strengthen security and deepen Nigeria’s federal system.

“I believe there is no one sitting here today who is against the state police because it concerns your safety and the safety of the people you represent,” he said.

The latest approval follows a new legislative process initiated by President Tinubu after the House earlier passed a separate Constitutional Amendment Bill on the State Police on June 11.

The President subsequently forwarded an executive bill calling for amendments to the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal basis for the establishment of state police services.

At the request of the President, the House withdrew its previous version of the bill and began examining the Executive’s proposal to harmonize its position with that of the Senate.

The Senate had already approved the executive bill after 87 senators voted in support, exceeding the constitutional threshold required for constitutional amendments.

With House approval, the proposed amendment now moves to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process, where it must gain the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before it can be forwarded for presidential assent and become part of the Constitution.

The move comes amid growing calls for police decentralization as Nigeria continues to battle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes, with advocates arguing that state police would improve local intelligence gathering and enhance the security response across the federation.

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