The House of Representatives has commenced clause-by-clause consideration of President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Bill seeking to establish state police, signalling its intention to adopt the Senate-approved version with only minor modifications as the National Assembly intensifies efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The move marks a significant milestone in the ongoing constitutional amendment process aimed at creating a multi-tier policing system to tackle the country’s escalating security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence.
Speaking on Monday at a meeting of the House Committee on Constitution Review, the Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, said the Senate-passed version of the bill would serve as the committee’s working document during its deliberations.
Kalu noted that the Executive Bill is largely identical to the version previously considered by the House, making major alterations unnecessary.
“The Executive Bill is substantially similar to what we have already worked on, with only minor adjustments. We do not anticipate any significant departure from the work already undertaken. The Senate version, which has been circulated to members, will serve as our working draft,” he said.
According to him, the Senate introduced about eight minor amendments, alongside provisions on interpretation, transitional arrangements and implementation, all of which would be reviewed by the House committee before making recommendations to the full chamber.
He recalled that the House had initially passed its own Constitution Alteration Bill on State Police on June 11 before proceeding on recess.
However, following the transmission of President Tinubu’s Executive Bill, lawmakers rescinded that decision on July 14 to pave the way for consideration of the President’s proposal.
“The House reversed its earlier decision to enable consideration of the Executive Bill submitted by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, whose constitutional responsibility places him in the best position to propose comprehensive reforms capable of addressing the nation’s security challenges,” Kalu explained.
The Deputy Speaker disclosed that the bill has already passed first and second readings in the House, while stakeholder consultations conducted during the National Assembly Open Week fulfilled the constitutional requirement for public input.
He described the proposed legislation as one of President Tinubu’s flagship constitutional reform initiatives, recalling that the President had consistently advocated decentralised policing during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
“As Governor of Lagos State, President Tinubu was among the earliest advocates of multi-layered policing as a strategic response to Nigeria’s security challenges. Today, as President, he is demonstrating consistency by pursuing the same constitutional reform at the national level,” Kalu said.
He stressed that both the Executive and the Legislature were united in pursuing reforms aimed at strengthening national security.
“There is a shared national objective to improve security across the country. Both arms of government are working together to ensure that objective is achieved in the best interest of Nigerians,” he added.
Kalu also explained that lawmakers convened outside the House’s regular Tuesday legislative schedule because of the urgency attached to the bill, expressing optimism that the constitutional amendment would be concluded without delay.
He further revealed that the Senate and House of Representatives were working closely to harmonise their positions to facilitate speedy passage and presidential assent.
The proposed establishment of state police has remained one of Nigeria’s most debated constitutional reforms for over two decades.
Supporters argue that Nigeria’s centralised policing structure has become overstretched and is no longer equipped to effectively address increasingly localised security threats. They believe state-controlled police services would improve intelligence gathering, response times and community-based policing.
Critics, however, have warned that state police could be vulnerable to political manipulation by state governors, particularly during elections and periods of political conflict.
To address such concerns, the proposed constitutional amendments contain safeguards regulating the establishment, funding, oversight and operational framework of state police formations.
If approved by both chambers of the National Assembly, endorsed by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly and signed into law by President Tinubu, the legislation will usher in the most sweeping reform of Nigeria’s policing system since the country’s return to democratic governance in 1999.
