Reps commence review of Tinubu’s State Police Bill, move to align with Senate version

The House of Representatives has commenced a clause-by-clause review of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Police Bill as lawmakers move to harmonise the proposed constitutional amendment with the version already considered by the Senate.

The review is being conducted by the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, as part of efforts to create a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police services across Nigeria.

Speaking during the committee’s meeting in Abuja, Kalu said the lawmakers would carefully examine each clause of the executive bill while taking into consideration amendments introduced by the Senate in its own version of the proposal.

The development follows the decision of the House to withdraw its earlier State Police Bill and consider the fresh proposal transmitted to the National Assembly by President Tinubu.

President Tinubu’s bill seeks to alter relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to establish State Police Services, allowing states to create and operate their own police formations alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.

The proposed reform is aimed at addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges by decentralising policing, improving intelligence gathering, strengthening community policing and enabling faster responses to crimes at the local level.

Supporters of state police have argued that the current centralised policing structure limits the ability of states to respond effectively to security threats such as kidnapping, terrorism, banditry and communal conflicts.

However, concerns have also been raised over possible abuse of state police structures by political actors, funding challenges and the need to establish clear standards for recruitment, training and accountability.

The House’s latest review comes after the Senate adopted the executive version of the bill, with lawmakers seeking to ensure both chambers agree on a harmonised framework before further constitutional amendment processes.

Under Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process, the bill must pass through legislative stages, including committee review, approval by the National Assembly and endorsement by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly before it can become law.

The proposed creation of state police has remained one of Nigeria’s most debated security reforms, with successive administrations facing pressure to move away from the country’s long-standing centralised policing model.

If eventually approved, the reform will mark a major shift in Nigeria’s internal security architecture by giving states greater responsibility in policing their territories while maintaining coordination with federal security institutions.

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