Rivers Assembly approves constitutional amendments for state police

The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday passed the Constitution (Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to provide a constitutional framework to establish the structure of the State Police.

All 25 members of the Assembly voted in favor of the bill at the plenary session, after consulting with their constituents.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martins Amaewhule, commended members for their consultations which he said informed their decision to support the bill.

“We have realized that as time goes by, Nigerians are demanding the opportunity to have a police system at the subnational level to complement the federal police.

“With this vote, the 10th Assembly fully supports the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution Bill 1999 (Sixth Amendment) 2026,” he said.

Amaewhule said state lawmakers supported the efforts of the Federal Government to prioritize the security of lives and property across the country.

“For us, having police at the regional level assisting the federal police is a welcome development.

“We believe that we will work together with other state councils towards more efficient state security,” he added.

Amaewhule also said that the bill is expected to create a constitutional pathway for the country’s police service, subject to constitutional provisions.

He said that if the amendment is passed, it will strengthen the role of the National Assembly in determining minimum national police standards.

The Chairperson explained that the bill contained 26 articles, with 25 amendments involving the replacement of articles of the main law.

It lists Articles 84(4), 89(2), 121(3), 124(4), 109(2), 153(1), 157(2), 158(1) and 160 among the provisions of the amendment.

The Osun State House of Assembly has become the first state legislative body to approve a proposed constitutional amendment for the establishment of a state police.