The House of Representatives has adopted the report on the proposed establishment of state police and approved 18 constitutional amendment clauses.
The report was adopted during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The approved clauses formed part of recommendations considered by lawmakers during deliberations on constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening governance, security, and institutional effectiveness across the country.
State Police Bill
The proposal is titled,” A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to provide for the establishment of state police, and for related matters (Sixth Alteration) 2026.”
It is part of ongoing constitutional amendment proposals, seeking to formally introduce state and community policing structures, following growing concerns that the current centralised policing system has been unable to curb insurgency, banditry and kidnapping across the country effectively.
The bill is jointly sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) and 14 other members.
Mr Kalu, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, told journalists that the chamber resolved to give priority to the state police proposal over other constitutional amendment bills.
He said the proposed amendment had become imperative given the rising cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes nationwide, stressing that the legislature must deploy constitutional and legislative instruments to address gaps in the country’s security framework.
