Reps Withdraw State Police Bill, Adopt Executive Proposal

The House of Representatives has withdrawn its earlier constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police and resolved to consider a similar proposal transmitted by the Executive.

Naija News reports that the decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday, when lawmakers subjected the Executive-sponsored bill to its first and second readings.

The development effectively puts the House’s previous proposal on hold as members shift attention to the version presented by the Executive.

Following debate on the general principles of the bill, the House approved it for second reading.

The proposed legislation was thereafter referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative scrutiny.

At the committee stage, lawmakers are expected to examine the key provisions of the bill, including the proposed structure, funding and operational framework for state police.

The committee is also expected to consider the constitutional implications of transferring greater policing powers to state governments.

After completing its review, the committee will present its report to the House for further consideration.

The bill may subsequently proceed to additional legislative stages before it can form part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

In a related development, President Bola Tinubu has urged the House of Representatives to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish a legal framework for state police nationwide.

The President said the proposed constitutional amendment was a vital part of his administration’s efforts to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture in response to the country’s persistent security challenges.

Tinubu made the request in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, transmitting the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, for legislative consideration.