Tinubu seeks amendment to state police bill

President Bola Tinubu has submitted a bill to the House of Representatives seeking to amend Nigeria's 1999 Constitution. The proposed legislation aims to establish a legal foundation for state police services across the country, marking a significant restructuring of Nigeria's policing system since the return to democracy in 1999.

In a letter dated June 15, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, President Tinubu urged lawmakers to prioritize the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026. He described the proposal as a crucial element of his administration's security reform agenda, intended to bolster Nigeria's response to escalating security challenges.

The bill seeks to create a "constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services." According to the President, the legislation builds upon previous work by the House of Representatives, incorporating additional safeguards to ensure the efficient operation of a dual policing system. "This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians," the letter stated.

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This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians.

President Tinubu emphasized that the legislation is a critical component of his administration's strategy to reorganize the nation's security architecture and better protect citizens. He expressed confidence that the House would act swiftly to consider and pass the bill. This move represents the most substantial executive effort to date to gain constitutional recognition for state policing, an issue that has been a subject of intense debate for over twenty years.

Currently, Nigeria operates under a single, centrally controlled police system, the Nigeria Police Force, as mandated by the 1999 Constitution. Experts, state governors, and advocates for constitutional reform have argued that this centralized structure is overstretched, struggling to cope with the country's rising insecurity.

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The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this bill.