President Tinubu Seeks Senate’s Constitutional Amendment for State Police

President Bola Tinubu has requested the Senate to approve a constitutional amendment establishing state police across Nigeria, moving the long-awaited security reform closer to reality.

In a letter to the Senate, dated June 15, 2026, and read to the lawmakers during the plenary session on Tuesday by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the President proposed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the creation of state police services.

The move comes amid rising security threats, as Nigeria continues to face terrorism, violent extremism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder conflicts, cultism, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, communal clashes and cyber-enabled crimes. These challenges have intensified public calls for constitutional reform to give states a more active role in securing their territories.

Recently, there have been a series of protests across the country over the growing insecurity, particularly after the abduction of schoolchildren and seven teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State and Borno State, which has drawn more attention to the insecurity challenges in the country.

Earlier in June, the House of Representatives took a major step toward amending the Nigerian Constitution by passing a bill to establish state police nationwide, reshaping the country’s security framework and responding to long-standing calls to decentralise policing. The Senate also joined their counterparts to pass the bill through the second reading.

Designed to improve public safety and strengthen law enforcement, one of the key functions of the bill passed by the House of Representatives is to “provide for state police existing alongside the federal police and outline a constitutional framework for states that choose to establish and maintain their own police service. The bill further aims to clarify the scope of the powers/responsibilities of the federal and state police and to provide for their funding and oversight.”

Consequently, President Tinubu acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the lawmakers, stating that the proposal builds on previous legislative efforts by both chambers of the National Assembly and contains additional safeguards to ensure effective implementation.

The President also noted that the proposed law will strengthen the security framework of the country, as his administration has promised to safeguard and improve the protection of lives and property.

“This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and the Senate and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges will be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians,” Tinubu said.

“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I’m confident that the Senate will act quickly to consider and pass this bill,” he added.

The president also implored the lawmakers to expedite the consideration for passing the law for it to become effective as quickly as possible.

Addressing the lawmakers after the reading of the letter, the President of the Senate referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action, directing them to bring the report to the next plenary session.

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