President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, to the House of Representatives for consideration and approval.
The bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal framework for the establishment of state police services across Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security system.
The President, in a letter read during Tuesday’s plenary, said the proposal builds on previous legislative work by the House and introduces safeguards to ensure the smooth operation of both federal and state police.
Tinubu said the proposed dual policing structure would enable Nigeria to respond more effectively to emerging security challenges and improve public safety nationwide.
He described the bill as a major part of his administration’s security reform agenda and urged lawmakers to give it speedy consideration and passage.
The development comes less than two weeks after the Senate approved a similar constitutional amendment bill with the support of more than two-thirds of its members, meeting the constitutional requirement for amendment.
If the House of Representatives passes the bill and it is subsequently endorsed by the required number of state Houses of Assembly, Nigeria will move closer to establishing state police services to help address growing insecurity across the country.
