ABUJA — The Nigerian Senate has passed the constitutional amendment bill that will establish state police forces across Nigeria. Channels Television confirmed the passage on Friday. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for concurrence before going to state assemblies for ratification.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the passage is a historic moment for Nigerian security governance. He said state police will allow governors to respond faster and more effectively to security threats in their states without waiting for the centralised federal police structure to mobilise.
The bill passed with the required two-thirds majority of senators present. Senators who voted against the bill cited concerns about potential abuse by state governors who might deploy state police against political opponents rather than genuine security threats.
A Long-Awaited Reform
The state police debate has been ongoing in Nigeria for decades. Multiple governments have considered and rejected the reform citing the risk of politically motivated policing at the state level. The escalating security crisis of 2025 and 2026, including school abductions spreading from the northeast to the southwest, provided the political momentum needed to finally push the bill through.
Governors who have been the strongest advocates for state police including Seyi Makinde of Oyo, whose state experienced the Oriire school attack, welcomed the Senate passage. Makinde said state police would have allowed Oyo to respond much faster to the terrorist threat in Oriire.
The House of Representatives is expected to take up the bill expeditiously given the national security urgency. Constitutional amendment bills require a two-thirds majority in both chambers and the approval of at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state assemblies. The full ratification process could take several months.
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