Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
ABUJA, Nigeria – The House of Representatives on Thursday, June 11, 2026, passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police, with 289 lawmakers voting in support and only one member voting against the historic legislation. The vote, conducted by a show of hands after the House’s electronic voting system experienced technical faults, marked a significant milestone in the decades‑long push to decentralise Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The bill, which was listed among 37 constitutional alteration proposals, sought to alter the 1999 Constitution to permit the creation of state police forces across the federation. The overwhelming endorsement by the House came after weeks of intense lobbying, consultations, and nationwide debates on the need to address the country’s worsening security crisis, including terrorism, banditry, mass kidnappings and communal violence.
Prior to the vote, the House had gone into a closed session to deliberate on the electronic voting system’s malfunction. Upon resuming plenary, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that voting would proceed by a show of hands due to the technical failure. Lawmakers were then asked to indicate their support or opposition, with 289 members raising their hands in favour, one member opposing, and the remaining members either abstaining or absent. The bill was immediately read for the third time and passed.
The successful passage of the state police bill represents a major victory for proponents of police reform, who have argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing model has proven inadequate to address the diverse and complex security challenges facing different regions of the country. Supporters of the bill contend that state police forces, recruited from local communities, would have better knowledge of local terrain, language and criminal networks, leading to improved intelligence gathering, faster response times, and more effective crime prevention.
However, the bill’s passage does not automatically amend the Constitution. Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, the amendment must also be passed by the Senate and subsequently ratified by at least two‑thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly before it can be presented to the President for assent. The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the bill in the coming days, with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele having earlier indicated that the upper chamber would fast‑track the process “due to national exigency”.
The House also passed several other constitutional amendment bills, including proposals to expand the number of judges in the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, and a bill creating additional special seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly. However, the state police bill remained the most anticipated and closely watched vote of the day.
Reactions to the passage have been swift. Governors, civil society organisations, and traditional rulers have issued statements commending the House for taking what many described as “a courageous step” towards resolving Nigeria’s security crisis. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which had previously developed a State Police Framework covering governance structures, funding models, recruitment standards, and oversight mechanisms, expressed readiness to work with the National Assembly to ensure the amendment’s success.
The Inspector‑General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has also expressed support for the reform, stating that the current centralised structure has overstretched the Nigeria Police Force and that state police would not replace the federal police but would complement them in addressing localised threats.
The lone vote against the bill was cast by a lawmaker who declined to give a reason for his opposition. Efforts to identify the lawmaker were unsuccessful, as the House did not release a detailed roll call due to the manual voting method.
With the House vote now concluded, attention shifts to the Senate. If the upper chamber passes its version of the bill, the amendment will be transmitted to the 36 state assemblies for concurrence. The process could take several months, but proponents of the reform are optimistic that the political will now exists to see it through.
For millions of Nigerians who have lost loved ones to banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, the House vote represents a historic turning point. The question now is whether the rest of the constitutional amendment process will match the speed and determination of the lower chamber.
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