CITIZENS COMPASS— The House of Representatives on Thursday, passed a constitutional amendment bill to create state police.
The House set aside other proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution for a future session.
The move came after House leadership recalled all members on oversight trips back to Abuja to meet the quorum required for constitutional votes. Lawmakers filled the chamber ahead of the vote.
The bill, “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to provide for the establishment of state police, and for related matters (Sixth Alteration) 2026,” is sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Fatima Talba, Blessing Onuh, Tolani Shagaya, and other members.
Kalu, who heads the House Committee on Constitution Review, said the House chose to fast-track state police because of the ongoing wave of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping across the country. “We deliberately resolved to prioritize decentralized policing over other thematic reforms,” he told reporters after plenary.
Under current law, policing sits on the Exclusive Legislative List. That means only the Federal Government can control law enforcement. The amendment passed by the House will move policing to the Concurrent Legislative List. The change will give state governments the legal backing to set up, fund, and run their own police forces.
The bill now heads to the Senate for concurrence. If passed by the Senate, it will go to the 36 state Houses of Assembly. At least 24 states must approve it before it can be signed into law.
Kalu said other constitutional alterations debated by the committee will be taken up in the next legislative session. The House did not list which items were deferred.
