President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police as part of efforts to reform Nigeria’s security framework.
The proposed legislation, contained in a communication dated June 15, 2026, was read on the Senate floor on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to the president, the bill aims to create a legal basis for a dual policing system that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
Tinubu said the amendment is a key component of ongoing efforts to restructure the nation’s security architecture, improve public safety, and enhance the protection of lives and property. He added that communities, municipalities, and local government areas would play more active roles in security management under the proposed arrangement.
Following its presentation, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, directing it to submit its report on Wednesday.
The Senate President stressed the importance of community-based policing, noting that local authorities are often better positioned to detect suspicious activities and provide timely intelligence to security agencies.
He said such a system would enable communities to identify unusual movements and alert security agencies promptly, allowing for proactive rather than reactive responses to security threats.
Akpabio further explained that the implementation of state police would be carried out in phases through constitutional amendments and subsequent legislation by the National Assembly.
“We will do it in two phases through constitutional alteration and an Act of Parliament. There will be a lot of safeguards. Let us come together to undertake this important task. It is extremely important that we reconvene tomorrow,” he said.
He also informed senators that plenary would not entertain extensive debates on other matters due to the death of House of Representatives member Yahaya Tongo of Gombe State.
Meanwhile, the Senate Leader urged lawmakers to attend the next sitting, emphasizing the significance of the proposed state police framework.
“We need at least a two-thirds majority to pass constitutional amendments. The issue of state police is non-partisan and transcends geopolitical, political, and sectional interests,” he said.
The development comes less than two weeks after the Senate passed an executive bill on state police for second reading. Akpabio noted that the new Constitution Alteration Bill transmitted by President Tinubu builds on the earlier proposal and seeks to provide the constitutional foundation necessary for the creation of state police services across the country.
