- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate.
The proposed legislation was presented before the Senate during the red chamber’s plenary session on Tuesday.
According to the president’s communication dated June 15, 2026, the proposed bill seeks to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework for a dual policing structure in Nigeria.
This is billed to allow states establish and operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
Tinubu, in the communication, described the proposed amendment as a critical component of ongoing efforts to reorganise the country’s policing system to enhance security and better protect citizens.
He noted that communities, municipalities, and local government areas would play more active roles in policing responsibilities under the new arrangement.
Following the presentation, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, referred the bill to the Senate committee on constitutional review with a directive to report back on Wednesday.
Akpabio who harped on the need for community-based security outfit explained that the implementation process would be carried out in phases through constitutional alteration and subsequent Acts of Parliament
“You will know when foreigners infiltrate Nigeria and alert security agencies so they can react proactively rather than reactively,
“We will do it in two phases through alteration and an Act of Parliament. There will be a lot of safeguards; let us come and do this important task. It is extremely important that we come tomorrow,” Akpabio said.
He expressed confidence that collaboration between the executive and legislative arms would ensure the success of the initiative.