The House of Representatives has officially backed an executive bill designed to set up state police forces, securing 311 affirmative votes for the constitutional change. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen confirmed that the total count included 276 members present in the chamber and 35 who cast their votes remotely.
This legislative milestone occurred after lawmakers reviewed and accepted the report from the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, which is led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. The legislation, officially known as the Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797), intends to create the necessary legal structure for localized law enforcement.
President Bola Tinubu sent the proposal to the House recently, framing it as an essential component of his strategy to overhaul national security and bolster public safety. According to the President, the measure introduces protections meant to support a dual policing system that can effectively tackle Nigeria’s diverse security threats. In response, the House abandoned a prior resolution from June 11, 2026, and dismantled the Conference Committee formed in July to clear the way for this bill, which must now continue through the formal constitutional amendment procedure.
