The House of Representatives has abandoned its own constitutional amendment proposal on state policing and will instead consider President Bola Tinubu’s executive bill seeking to establish state police services across Nigeria.
The development emerged during Tuesday’s plenary when lawmakers introduced the Presidency’s Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, which passed first and second readings before being referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative work.
The decision effectively sets aside the House’s earlier state police proposal in favour of the Executive-backed version, signalling lawmakers’ preference to work with the President’s framework as momentum grows for policing reforms.
At the committee stage, legislators will examine the bill’s provisions, safeguards and operational framework before presenting their recommendations to the full House for further debate and possible passage.
President Tinubu, in a letter to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, said the bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal foundation for the creation of state police services as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to the President, the proposal builds on previous legislative work by the House while introducing additional safeguards to ensure the effective operation of a dual policing system involving both federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Tinubu said the legislation is intended to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges by creating a more responsive and efficient policing structure.
He described the bill as a key component of his administration’s plan to reorganise and modernise the country’s security system and urged lawmakers to give it expedited consideration.
The latest move comes barely two weeks after the Senate passed a similar constitutional amendment bill aimed at establishing state police services across the federation.
