Nigeria House approves state police constitutional amendment

The House of Representatives passed a landmark constitutional amendment on Thursday, July 23, 2026, to establish a legal framework for state police services in Nigeria. The bill, which seeks to decentralize the country's policing structure, was approved by 311 lawmakers, surpassing the required two-thirds majority of the 360-member House.

The vote followed the consideration of a report from the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who presided over the session, stated that 276 members were physically present while 35 participated virtually. The bill, officially titled "A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters," now advances through the remaining stages of the constitutional alteration process.

The legislation, transmitted to the House by President Bola Tinubu, aims to create a dual policing system, allowing state governments to establish, fund, and operate their own police forces alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force. Proponents argue the change is necessary to...