Nigeria is closer to establishing state police forces after major progress in the constitutional amendment process. The issue, which has been debated for decades, is now at an advanced legislative stage.
On 11 June 2026, the Nigerian House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment bill that would allow each of Nigeria’s 36 states to establish and operate its own police force alongside the federal police. About 289 lawmakers voted in support of the proposal.
The Senate has also advanced the proposal, with the bill passing second reading and moving through the constitutional review process.
What Would Change?
If fully approved, the amendment would:
Create two constitutionally recognized police systems:
Federal Police
State Police forces established by individual states
Allow governors to oversee state police operations within their states.
Permit states to recruit officers with stronger local knowledge and community ties.
Establish national standards and oversight mechanisms to regulate state police forces.
Limit federal intervention in state policing except under specified circumstances such as a breakdown of law and order or a governor’s request for assistance.
Why Is State Police Being Proposed?
Supporters argue that Nigeria’s centralized policing system is overstretched and struggles to respond effectively to diverse security challenges, including:
Kidnapping
Banditry
Terrorism and insurgency
Farmer-herder conflicts
Oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta
Advocates believe state police would improve intelligence gathering, response times, and community policing because officers would be recruited and deployed closer to their local communities.
Concerns About State Police
Opponents have raised concerns that:
Governors could misuse state police against political opponents.
Wealthier states may be able to fund effective police forces while poorer states struggle.
Coordination between federal and state police could become challenging.
The proposed amendment includes oversight structures and constitutional safeguards intended to reduce the risk of abuse.
What Happens Next?
The bill has not yet become law.
To take effect, it must still:
Complete passage in the National Assembly.
Be approved by at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly (24 of 36 states).
Receive presidential assent.
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