THE House of Representatives has suspended consideration of its own constitutional amendment bill on state policing and opted to proceed with a similar proposal submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision became clear during today’s plenary, where lawmakers introduced the Executive-sponsored Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026 and passed it through its first and second readings before referring it to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further scrutiny.
The move effectively places the House’s earlier state police proposal on hold, signalling lawmakers’ preference to work with the version presented by the Presidency as efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system gain momentum.
At the committee stage, lawmakers are expected to thoroughly examine the bill’s provisions, safeguards, and operational framework for establishing state police services across the federation.
The committee’s recommendations will later be presented to the full House for further debate and legislative action.
President Tinubu had earlier transmitted the bill to the House, seeking constitutional approval for the creation of state police services as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
In a letter addressed to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the President explained that the proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal basis for establishing state police.
Tinubu noted that the proposal builds on previous legislative work carried out by the House while introducing additional safeguards to ensure the effective operation of a dual policing system involving both federal and state law enforcement agencies.
According to the President, the proposed framework is intended to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges by creating a more responsive and efficient policing structure.
He described the bill as a key component of his administration’s strategy to modernise the country’s security system and expressed confidence that lawmakers would give it expedited consideration.
The latest development comes just weeks after the Senate approved a similar constitutional amendment bill aimed at paving the way for the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
