In a landmark move widely regarded as one of the most significant constitutional reforms since the return of democratic governance, the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, approved a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police services across Nigeria, bringing the country closer to a fundamental restructuring of its security architecture.
The passage of the bill followed extensive deliberations by lawmakers and a detailed clause-by-clause examination of the proposed constitutional amendments during plenary.
The legislation secured the constitutionally required support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process conducted openly on the floor of the Red Chamber.
Announcing the successful passage of the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the development as a defining moment in the nation’s efforts to address persistent security challenges and strengthen law enforcement at the grassroots level.
The bill was approved after the Senate considered and adopted the report of the Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presented the recommendations before lawmakers.
Before the final vote, senators sitting as the Committee of the Whole carefully reviewed each provision of the proposed amendment, eventually adopting the recommendations and proceeding to a decisive vote that reflected overwhelming support for the measure.
Leading debate on the legislation, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele urged his colleagues to embrace what he described as a necessary and long-overdue reform designed to enhance security coordination, improve intelligence gathering, and enable faster responses to local threats across the federation.
For decades, Nigeria has operated a centrally controlled policing structure under the authority of the Federal Government. However, mounting security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, armed robbery and other criminal activities, have intensified calls for a decentralised policing system that would allow states to play a more direct role in maintaining law and order within their territories.
The newly passed bill seeks to create a dual policing framework in which state police services would operate alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force, ending the Federal Government’s exclusive control over policing.
One of the most significant provisions of the amendment grants state governors the authority to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by state Houses of Assembly.
Under Clause 17 of the proposed constitutional amendment, while the Federal Police Service will continue to be led by the Inspector-General of Police, each state police organisation will be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and approved by the state’s legislature.
The bill also establishes guidelines governing the relationship between governors and state police commands.
According to the provisions, governors may issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to state police commissioners on matters relating to public safety, law enforcement and public order within their jurisdictions.
Recognising concerns raised by critics over the possibility of political interference and abuse of state-controlled policing institutions, lawmakers incorporated a series of safeguards aimed at protecting democratic freedoms and preventing misuse of police powers.
A key provision explicitly prohibits state police authorities from targeting individuals, political parties, civil society groups or organisations solely for criticising government actions or policies.
The amendment stipulates that state police commissioners shall not arrest, detain, investigate, harass or deploy force against any citizen merely because of political disagreement or opposition activities, except where such actions are carried out strictly in accordance with established laws and constitutional provisions.
Lawmakers said the safeguards were specifically designed to protect journalists, opposition figures, activists and other citizens from potential political persecution while ensuring accountability within the proposed policing structure.
The historic vote came shortly after the Senate abandoned plans to utilise an electronic voting system for consideration of the State Police Bill and several other constitutional amendment proposals.
The decision followed concerns raised by senators regarding technical difficulties affecting some electronic voting devices, which lawmakers feared could compromise participation and cast doubt on the credibility of the voting process.
Moving a motion for the adoption of manual voting, Senate Leader Bamidele argued that every senator must be given an equal opportunity to participate in what he described as a defining constitutional exercise.
Senate President Akpabio subsequently endorsed the proposal, stating that an open voting process would not only guarantee full participation but also enhance transparency by allowing citizens to clearly see how their elected representatives voted on critical national issues.
Following the Senate’s decision, lawmakers were called individually to publicly declare their votes during the consideration of the constitutional amendment measures.
The proceedings attracted the attention of several top government officials who observed the historic session from the chamber. Among those present were Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Political observers have described the Senate’s approval of the State Police Bill as one of the most consequential legislative actions undertaken by the 10th National Assembly, with the potential to significantly transform security governance across the country.
Supporters of state policing have consistently argued that Nigeria’s current centralised police system lacks the manpower, local intelligence capabilities and operational flexibility required to effectively tackle increasingly complex security threats in different parts of the country.
They contend that locally controlled police services would possess a deeper understanding of community dynamics, cultural realities and regional security challenges, enabling more effective crime prevention and law enforcement.
Opponents, however, remain cautious. Critics have repeatedly warned that state police institutions could be manipulated by governors and political leaders to intimidate opponents, influence elections and suppress dissenting voices if adequate safeguards are not maintained.
Despite those concerns, Wednesday’s vote represents a major legislative breakthrough for advocates of police decentralisation and marks the closest Nigeria has come to implementing state-controlled policing since debates on the issue began several decades ago.
With Senate approval now secured, the constitutional amendment will proceed through the remaining stages of the amendment process, including consideration and ratification by state Houses of Assembly as required by the Constitution.
Should the proposal receive the necessary approvals and become law, Nigeria will witness a historic transformation of its policing framework, establishing state police services that will operate alongside the federal police system in a bid to strengthen security, improve local law enforcement and address the country’s growing security challenges.
