Tinubu Submits New State Police Bill as Reps Drop Earlier Proposal
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday sent a new constitutional amendment bill on state police to the House of Representatives for approval, as lawmakers withdrew their earlier resolution on the matter....
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday sent a new constitutional amendment bill on state police to the House of Representatives for approval, as lawmakers withdrew their earlier resolution on the matter.
The President transmitted the bill to the House in a letter on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to amend the 1999 Constitution to create a legal basis for state police and strengthen Nigeria’s security framework. He said the proposal builds on earlier work by the House to support an effective dual policing system involving the federal and state governments.
Reading the letter at plenary, House Speaker Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abass said Tinubu sought to address gaps in the earlier legislation and create a path for a key part of his administration’s plan to reorganise Nigeria’s security framework.
According to the letter, Tinubu proposed a framework to make policing more responsive and effective in protecting citizens, urging lawmakers to expedite its consideration and passage.
“I am delighted to present to the House of Representatives for consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services,” he stated.
“This Bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians,” he 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 am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this Bill,” Tinubu added.
After reading the letter on the floor of the House, the member representing the Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State, Francis Waive, moved a motion seeking the rescission of the House’s earlier resolution on the State Police Bill.
Recall that on June 11, the House of Representatives passed its constitutional amendment bill on state police as part of its constitutional review process, a move also taken by the Senate on June 24 after securing the required two-thirds majority in the parliamentary session.
Stating its reason for rescinding its previous bill, the House of Representatives spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, in a statement issued today, noted that the decision from the lawmakers does not imply withdrawal of support for the state police; instead, it was to align with the executive proposal.
In the statement, the spokesperson of the House said the Executive Bill from the President was deferred to because it introduced new considerations that require a different legislative approach that will ensure a coherent constitutional framework consistent with the country’s evolving national security architecture.
The lawmakers further explained that the withdrawal of the earlier resolution dissolved the Conference Committee to pave the way for consideration of the Executive Bill, which will undergo a transparent and rigorous legislative process that strengthens Nigeria’s democratic institutions and responds effectively to the nation’s evolving governance and security needs.”
“Following the transmission of the Executive Bill, the House determined that new considerations relating to the structure, framework, and implementation of State Police Services necessitated an efficient legislative approach to ensure a coherent constitutional framework consistent with Nigeria’s evolving national security architecture,” the statement read.
“The House emphasised that its decision should not be construed as a withdrawal of legislative support for State Police. Rather, it reflects the resolve of the House, working in concert with the Executive, to ensure that the constitutional framework establishing State Police Services is comprehensive, effective, and responsive to Nigeria’s evolving security realities,” the statement said.
Rotimi added that the House remained committed to constitutional reforms through “a transparent and rigorous legislative process that strengthens Nigeria’s democratic institutions and responds effectively to the nation’s evolving governance and security needs”.
Meanwhile, the sending of the new bill by the President could be an indication that the executive is now committed to the long-term demands of many stakeholders on the security framework of the country, giving it a strong push to come to reality, particularly as the country is facing multiple challenges of insecurity, like terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence, among others, across the regions.
Additionally, it implies that if the law is ultimately passed, it will alter the nation’s current policing system, which is centralised and unified under the Nigeria Police Force as mandated by the 1999 Constitution, thereby granting the demand of . State governors, security experts and constitutional reform advocates have argued that the current policing system has become overstretched and might not be able to solve the country’s security challenges.
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