THE House of Representatives has passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police after 311 lawmakers voted in support of the proposal, surpassing the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendments.
The bill’s passage, however, was met with resistance from members of the minority caucus, who staged a walkout in protest, alleging that the legislative process violated constitutional provisions and the House’s Standing Orders.
The bill was presented during plenary by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, who urged lawmakers to support the proposed amendment before the House proceeded with electronic and virtual voting.
Although the bill secured the required number of votes, opposition lawmakers, led by Minority Leader Fred Agbedi, rejected the procedure used to pass the legislation and later addressed journalists, stressing that while they support the creation of state police, they object to what they described as procedural irregularities.
In response, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, defended the process, insisting that the bill was lawfully considered and passed.
The House also approved a separate bill establishing the Federal College of Fisheries Technology and Marine Engineering in Rivers State before adjourning plenary until September 15, 2026.
What the State Police Bill Provides
The House’s approval comes four weeks after the Senate passed the same constitutional amendment, bringing the proposal one step closer to becoming law.
The legislation seeks to replace the current single Nigeria Police Force system with a dual policing structure consisting of a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
One of its key provisions empowers state governors to appoint commissioners of police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the state Houses of Assembly.
The bill also outlines the relationship between governors and state police commands.
Under its provisions, governors may issue lawful written policy directives to state commissioners of police on matters relating to public safety and public order.
To address concerns that state police could be used for political persecution, the legislation includes safeguards aimed at protecting civil liberties.
It specifically prohibits state commissioners of police from arresting, detaining, investigating, or deploying force against any individual, political party, or group solely for criticising the government, except where such actions are carried out in accordance with the law.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier transmitted the bill to the National Assembly as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to the President, the proposed constitutional amendment is intended to strengthen internal security by enabling states to establish their own police services alongside the federal police, improve grassroots intelligence gathering, and enhance responses to emerging security threats.
With the bill now passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the constitutional amendment moves closer to the next stage of the legislative process.
