The upper chamber of the national assembly has passed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, in a landmark reform that seeks to decentralise security while retaining extensive federal oversight powers.
While granting states the constitutional authority to establish and operate their own police services, the bill preserves extensive emergency intervention powers for the Federal Government.
The bill, after it was sent to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu, was accelerated through all legislative stages in one day following a coordinated push by the executive and the leadership of the upper chamber.
At the centre of the proposed constitutional amendment is the creation of State Police Services alongside a restructured Federal Police Service, which would replace the Nigeria Police Force.
To guarantee increased funding for law enforcement, the Senate also passed a bill raising the allocation to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund from the Consolidated Revenue Fund from 0.5 per cent to one per cent.
Under Section 214 of the proposed law, the Federal Police Service would retain the authority to intervene in the internal security affairs of any state under specified circumstances, including an actual or imminent breakdown of public order, the inability of a state police service to function effectively, threats to national security, or evidence of serious human rights abuses, partisan intimidation or unlawful conduct by state policing authorities.
The legislation also empowers the Federal Police Service, where necessary, to assume temporary operational control of a state police service or any part of it, subject to presidential authorisation, Senate oversight and judicial review.
Leading debate on the bill, Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, described the proposal as one of the most consequential constitutional reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
He said the measure was designed to address longstanding concerns over the limitations of a centralised policing structure in a country confronting diverse security threats, complex geographical realities and socio-cultural differences.
According to Bamidele, although the existing policing framework had served the country at various stages of its development, emerging threats such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, cybercrime and organised criminal networks had exposed the need for a more decentralised approach to law enforcement.
“The principal objective of this bill is to establish a constitutional framework for the creation and operation of State Police Services while retaining a strong Federal Police Service and maintaining national standards, accountability and oversight,” he told lawmakers.
The Senate Leader explained that states would only be permitted to establish police services after passing enabling legislation through their respective Houses of Assembly and meeting national minimum standards prescribed by the National Assembly.
He stressed that the bill contained robust safeguards against political abuse, one of the major concerns historically associated with state policing.
