President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police, a landmark proposal that could fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s security architecture and decentralise policing responsibilities across the federation.
The proposed legislation, contained in a communication dated June 15, 2026, was read during plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who described the initiative as a crucial step toward addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
According to President Tinubu, the bill seeks to create a legal framework for a dual policing system that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force. The President noted that the proposed constitutional amendment forms part of broader efforts by his administration to strengthen security, improve community policing and enhance the protection of lives and property nationwide.
The move comes amid growing calls from governors, lawmakers and security experts for the decentralisation of policing powers to enable state governments to respond more effectively to local security threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence.
Following the presentation of the bill, Senate President Akpabio referred it to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review and directed the panel to report back to the chamber on Wednesday for further legislative consideration.
Akpabio stressed the importance of community-based security structures, arguing that local authorities and communities are often better positioned to identify suspicious activities and emerging threats before they escalate.
“You will know when foreigners infiltrate Nigeria and alert security agencies so they can react proactively rather than reactively,” Akpabio said during plenary.
The Senate President explained that the proposed state police framework would be implemented through a phased process involving constitutional amendments and subsequent enabling legislation.
“We will do it in two phases through alteration and an Act of Parliament. There will be a lot of safeguards; let us come and do this important task. It is extremely important that we come tomorrow,” he stated.
Akpabio also disclosed that state governments had indicated their readiness to consider the proposal once transmitted to their respective Houses of Assembly, expressing optimism that the reform would receive broad national support.
The Senate leadership underscored the urgency of the constitutional amendment, with lawmakers urged to attend the next sitting where deliberations on the bill are expected to intensify.
Speaking on the significance of the vote, the Senate leader reminded members that constitutional amendments require broad consensus across party and regional lines.
“We need a minimum of two-thirds of members to vote on constitutional alterations. The issue of state police is non-partisan and cuts across geopolitical zones and interests,” he said.
The latest development follows the Senate’s passage of an executive bill on state police for second reading earlier this month. According to Akpabio, the fresh Constitution Alteration Bill transmitted by President Tinubu is intended to provide the constitutional foundation necessary for the establishment and operation of state-controlled police services.
The proposal also aligns with Tinubu’s repeated calls for constitutional reforms aimed at granting states a greater role in securing their territories. In February, the President urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the reform as a necessary response to evolving security threats across the country.
During his Democracy Day address earlier this month, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to confront insecurity, declaring that terrorists, bandits and their sponsors would face the full weight of the law.
The President revealed that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the previous year and said terrorism-related fatalities had declined significantly compared to earlier periods. However, he acknowledged that the continued captivity of some abducted schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states remained a painful reminder of the country’s ongoing security challenges.
The Senate is expected to reconvene for an emergency plenary session as lawmakers move to advance what many observers regard as one of the most far-reaching security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
