President Tinubu Transmits State Police Amendment Bill to House of Representatives to Reform National Security

On Tuesday, 14 July 2026, President Bola Tinubu formally transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, to the House of Representatives in Abuja. The executive bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish a legal framework for a dual policing system across the country.

The letter containing the draft legislation was addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who read it to lawmakers during the plenary session on Tuesday. Following the presentation, the House withdrew its own self-sponsored constitutional amendment bill on state police to prioritize and consider the executive-backed proposal.

The bill passed its first and second readings on the floor of the House on Tuesday. It was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action and detailed scrutiny.

According to the communication from the presidency, the bill aims to decentralize policing responsibilities, allowing states, local governments, and communities to play a more active role in public safety and intelligence gathering.

In his letter to the House, Mr Tinubu stated that the proposed legislation builds on the work already done by the lawmakers.

“I am delighted to present to the House of Representatives for consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services,” Mr Tinubu said in the letter.

The President added:

“This Bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians”.

The transmission of the bill to the House of Representatives follows a similar communication sent to the Senate on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. Security decentralization has been a subject of public debate in Nigeria for several years, with proponents arguing that local police forces are better equipped to handle regional security challenges.

To support the implementation of the dual policing model, Mr Tinubu also recently inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill. The group, which includes the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police, is tasked with drafting the legal framework to govern minimum policing standards, accountability, and coordination between federal and state police services.

The House Committee on Constitutional Review is expected to examine the provisions of the executive bill and report back to the floor for further debate.

To become law, the constitutional amendment requires the approval of a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. It must also be ratified by the Houses of Assembly in at least 24 states before it can be sent to the President for final assent.