The Senate has defended the passage of the Constitution (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, describing the proposed legislation as a necessary response to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges rather than a politically motivated move.
The position was contained in a statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs of the Office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who said the reform emerged from years of consultations and constitutional review aimed at addressing growing insecurity across the country.
According to Bamidele, the establishment of state police has become an urgent national priority as existing security structures continue to face increasing pressure from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
He explained that the proposal was not conceived for political gain but evolved through extensive engagement with stakeholders across the federation.
The bill, he noted, was passed by the House of Representatives on June 11 and by the Senate on June 24 after detailed deliberations in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Bamidele disclosed that the National Assembly consulted widely before approving the legislation, engaging the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures and the leadership of the Nigeria Police.
He added that public hearings held across the country’s six geopolitical zones in July 2025 recorded overwhelming support for the creation of state police, with stakeholders agreeing that decentralising policing would improve security at the grassroots.
The Senate Leader said recommendations submitted by the Nigeria Police were incorporated into the final draft of the constitutional amendment to strengthen accountability, operational standards and oversight mechanisms capable of preventing abuse by political office holders.
He further revealed that support for the bill cut across party lines, stressing that lawmakers from both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party, voted in its favour.
According to him, 84 of the 109 senators supported the legislation during clause-by-clause consideration, representing more than 77 per cent of the Senate membership.
Bamidele argued that national security should never become a partisan issue, urging opposition parties to contribute meaningful ideas that would strengthen peace and public safety instead of politicising security reforms.
The bill has now been transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly, where it must secure approval from at least 24 state legislatures before it can be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for presidential assent.
If ratified, the constitutional amendment would establish a dual policing system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
While the Federal Police would retain responsibility for national security, terrorism, cybercrime and interstate crimes, state police commands would be responsible for local policing and maintaining public order within their respective states.
The legislation also introduced safeguards to limit political interference.
Under the proposed framework, governors would appoint State Commissioners of Police subject to confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly, while any removal must receive the recommendation of the National Police Council and the approval of a two-thirds majority of the state legislature.
In addition, every state would establish a State Police Service Commission to oversee recruitment, promotions and discipline, while no state police command would commence operations until it is certified by the National Assembly as meeting nationally approved operational standards.
