President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, to the Senate for consideration.
The correspondence, dated June 15, 2026, was read on the floor of the Red Chamber on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, Tinubu said the proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services across the country.
“I am delighted to present to the Senate for consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of state police services in Nigeria,” the President wrote.
Tinubu said the bill builds on previous legislative efforts by both chambers of the National Assembly and includes safeguards to support the implementation of a dual policing system.
“This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and the Senate and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving security challenges will be achieved quickly and effectively for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he said.
The President described the proposal as a key component of his administration’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the Senate will act quickly to consider and pass this bill,” he said.
Tinubu urged the Senate to give the bill expeditious consideration.
“While I look forward to the expeditious consideration of this submission by the Senate, please accept, distinguished Senate President and distinguished senators, the assurances of my highest consideration and best regards,” the letter read.
After the letter was read, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution for further legislative action.
Has forwarded a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate, proposing the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the creation and operation of state policing structures nationwide.
The move aligns with the President’s repeated calls for constitutional reforms that would allow subnational governments to take a more active role in securing their territories.
In February, 2026 Tinubu had urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the initiative as necessary in addressing terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges.
During his Democracy Day address earlier this month, the President reiterated his hard stance on insecurity, vowing that terrorists, bandits, and their sponsors would face the full weight of the law, while insisting that no mercy would be shown to enemies of the state.
He also disclosed that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the past year, adding that terrorism-related fatalities had dropped significantly compared to previous years.
President Tinubu acknowledged that the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states remains a painful reminder of the country’s ongoing security challenges.
However, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to senators to ensure full attendance at Wednesday’s plenary session as the National Assembly prepares to consider the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police services across Nigeria.
Speaking during Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio described the State Police Bill as a landmark legislation capable of transforming Nigeria’s security architecture and addressing growing security challenges across the country.
He emphasized that constitutional amendments require broad participation by lawmakers and urged senators to treat the exercise as a national responsibility.
“Since 1960, Nigeria did not have the courage to decentralize policing and this is the first time,” Akpabio said.
“As we struggle to become senators, let us also remember the responsibilities of being a senator. It is not enough for us to look for tickets and when we get the ticket, we don’t come to the chambers.”
The Senate President noted that the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) would allow for the establishment of state police services while incorporating safeguards against abuse through subsequent legislation.
According to him, the initiative will strengthen community-based policing by enabling local governments, traditional institutions, village leaders, and youth groups to participate more actively in maintaining security and providing intelligence.
Akpabio said local communities are often better positioned to identify suspicious individuals and criminal elements, adding that state policing would improve proactive security responses across the country.
The Senate President directed the Senate Committee on Constitution Review to submit its report on the bill by Wednesday, June 24, 2026, to enable immediate legislative action.
Also speaking, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele underscored the importance of lawmakers’ attendance, stressing that constitutional alterations require the support of at least two-thirds of senators.
“We need a minimum of two-thirds of distinguished senators to be able to vote on constitutional alteration. That means it is important for all of us to be here,” Bamidele said.
He described the state police proposal as a non-partisan national issue that cuts across political parties, geopolitical zones, and regional interests, urging principal officers and lawmakers to reach out to absent colleagues and ensure their participation.
The Senate adjourned to Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., when lawmakers are expected to debate and vote on the proposed constitutional amendment, a move widely regarded as one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.