Senate set to pass state police bill Wednesday as Tinubu pushes security reform

The Nigerian Senate has scheduled Wednesday, June 24, 2026 for plenary consideration and voting on the state police bill to amend the 1999 Constitution and establish a dual policing system (federal and state forces operating alongside each other). President Bola Tinubu transmitted the executive bill to the Senate on June 15 via letter, prompting lawmakers to cut short their recess for this security reform initiative. Senate President Godswill Akpabio framed the bill as a key step toward restructuring Nigeria's security architecture in response to worsening nationwide insecurity challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping.

The bill seeks constitutional amendment to allow states to establish localized police forces while maintaining federal oversight standards—a decentralization approach aimed at improving localized threat response. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, chair of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review, is expected to present the committee's report before Wednesday's vote. Akpabio urged all senators to attend the live session, emphasizing constituents will monitor proceedings via broadcast.

If passed, the bill requires presidential assent and subsequent approval by state Houses of Assembly before state police forces can be established—a multi-stage process affecting all 36 states and the FCT. Citizens should monitor how this shift impacts state-level security resource allocation, potential reductions in federal police dependency, and mechanisms for inter-jurisdictional coordination during cross-state incidents.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/23/state-police-nears-reality-as-senate-announces-date-to-pass-bill/