NASS Transmits State Police Bill to 36 State Assemblies

The National Assembly is set to transmit the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the 36 State Houses of Assembly this week, marking a major step in Nigeria's constitutional reform process.

The bill, recently passed by the Senate, requires the approval of at least 24 state legislatures in line with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution before it can be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed the development in an interview with The PUNCH, saying preparations for the transmission had been completed.

"The bill for the creation of state police will get to the states this week. The states' speakers have met and are awaiting the bill from the National Assembly.

"The state governors are expecting it too, even with their presence in the Senate chamber when the bill was being considered and passed," Adaramodu said.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a dual policing system that would empower state governments to establish and operate their own police services while preserving the constitutional responsibilities of the Nigeria Police Force in areas such as terrorism, border security, cybercrime, arms trafficking and other federal offences.

To address concerns over possible abuse by state governments, lawmakers incorporated constitutional safeguards prohibiting state police authorities from targeting individuals or groups for criticising governments. The bill also empowers the Federal Government to intervene where there are threats to national security, breakdown of public order or violations of fundamental human rights.

The proposal has received support from governors, state legislatures and several political stakeholders. The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures had earlier endorsed the bill, while governors, including Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, described it as a necessary response to Nigeria's worsening security challenges.

The Labour Party also backed the proposal, describing it as a significant step toward strengthening community-based policing, although it acknowledged concerns over possible abuse by state governors. However, the Peoples Redemption Party opposed the initiative, urging Nigerians to reject the proposal over concerns about its implementation.

Meanwhile, the Senate has defended the passage of the bill, insisting it is driven by national security concerns rather than political considerations.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, described the proposed establishment of state police as a product of extensive consultations and broad national consensus.

"The proposal was purely a child of necessity and not of political expediency as well as a product of national consensus and not of cynicism," Bamidele said.

He explained that the proposal emerged from memoranda submitted during the constitutional review process and underwent rigorous consultations involving the Executive, the Nigeria Governors' Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.

"In July 2025, the National Assembly conducted public hearings in all geopolitical zones, and the participants overwhelmingly approved it.

"At each level of our consultation, nearly all stakeholders embraced the State Police Bill in the light of stark realities we are facing today," he stated.

According to Bamidele, the Nigeria Police Force also contributed recommendations that strengthened accountability and oversight mechanisms contained in the bill to guard against political abuse.

He added that support for the legislation cut across party lines.

"Even though the APC is the majority, there are members of opposition parties – PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party – that exercised their discretion in favour of the Bill, mainly in the national interest and not on a parochial basis.

"In the Senate, for instance, 84 out of 109 members voted clause by clause in support of the Bill," he said.

The Senate Leader urged opposition parties to contribute constructive ideas toward strengthening national security rather than opposing reforms on political grounds.

If approved by at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly, the constitutional amendment will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent, paving the way for what many observers consider one of Nigeria's most significant security reforms since the country's return to democratic rule in 1999.

Source: The PUNCH

Tags: #StatePolice #NationalAssembly #ConstitutionReview