Key Takeaways
- The National Assembly has officially sent only the State Police Bill to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for their consideration and approval.
- This bill, if passed by two-thirds of the states, will fundamentally alter Nigeria's policing structure, introducing a dual Federal and State Police Service model.
- The proposed legislation grants the President significant powers to intervene in state police operations under specific, exceptional circumstances.
- Dozens of other critical constitutional amendment bills, covering electoral reform, judicial administration, and local government autonomy, are still awaiting passage by the National Assembly.
- Concerns have been raised by analysts and civil society organizations regarding the transparency, speed, and potential implications of the State Police Bill, particularly concerning electoral integrity.
Abuja, Nigeria – In a pivotal development for Nigeria's security architecture, the National Assembly has confirmed the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, specifically the State Police Bill, to the nation's 36 state assemblies. This move initiates a crucial phase in the constitutional amendment process, which requires the concurrence of at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly to become law.
Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, announced that the bill was dispatched in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates state legislative approval for constitutional alterations. While the Constitution does not specify a timeline, state assemblies have been administratively requested to consider the bill and communicate their resolutions within 30 days to ensure a timely conclusion of the process.
However, further investigations reveal a significant detail: only the State Police Bill has been transmitted, not the entire package of 37 proposed constitutional amendments. Other critical bills, which have undergone extensive public hearings and legislative stages, are yet to be passed by the National Assembly itself, casting a shadow over the broader reform agenda.
The Transformative State Police Bill
The State Police Bill, championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saw an expedited passage through both chambers of the National Assembly, with the Senate approving it on June 24, 2026, and the House of Representatives following suit on July 23, 2026. This landmark legislation aims to dismantle the long-standing unitary structure of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), replacing it with a dual system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
Under the proposed Section 214 of the Constitution, the Federal Police Service would retain exclusive jurisdiction over national security, terrorism, cybercrime, inter-state crimes, arms-trafficking, and international crime syndicates. State Police Services, conversely, would be responsible for domestic public safety within their respective states, strictly prohibited from cross-border law enforcement unless explicitly authorized by an Act of the National Assembly.
A contentious aspect of the bill is the provision for federal government intervention. It empowers the President to temporarily assume direct operational command of any State Police Service under stringent exceptional conditions. These triggers include an actual or imminent breakdown of public order, state police incapacity, or evidence of egregious human rights violations, partisan intimidation, or unlawful obstruction of the Constitution. Such interventions must be authorized in writing, with formal notice transmitted to relevant state and national bodies within 48 hours.
Stalled Reforms and Looming Deadlines
Beyond the State Police Bill, no fewer than 37 other constitutional amendment proposals are currently stalled. These bills address vital areas such as electoral reforms, judicial administration, legislative procedures, citizenship, women’s representation, human rights, and local government autonomy. Despite extensive public hearings and consultations, these proposals did not undergo final voting before the National Assembly's annual recess, raising concerns about their fate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political analyst Jide Ojo criticized the piecemeal approach, arguing that processing the bills separately represents a "waste of public resources" given the millions already spent on comprehensive public hearings. He noted that state assemblies might take several months to consider the State Police Bill, potentially pushing its implementation beyond the 2027 elections, as further legislation would be required to establish its operational framework.
Civil society organizations, including Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), have voiced concerns over the speed and perceived lack of transparency surrounding the State Police Bill. Umar Danasebe Muhammad, KDI's Senior Programme Manager, emphasized the need for greater public access to the bill's details and opportunities for scrutiny, particularly regarding its implications for elections and state-level security. He also lamented the potential for other crucial reforms to be abandoned due to political timelines.
Why This Matters
The transmission of the State Police Bill marks a potentially transformative moment for Nigeria's security landscape, addressing long-standing calls for localized policing to combat pervasive insecurity. However, the selective advancement of this bill while other critical reforms languish highlights the complex political dynamics of constitutional amendment and the urgent need for comprehensive legislative action to strengthen democratic institutions and governance before the next election cycle.