Tinubu sends state police bill to Senate for constitutional amendment

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially forwarded a constitutional amendment bill to the Nigerian Senate that would create a legal framework for state police operations across the country. The measure, transmitted on June 15, 2026, was presented to the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The bill targets one of Nigeria's most persistent governance challenges by proposing to decentralize policing authority from the federal government to state administrations. Under the proposed framework, Nigeria would operate a dual policing structure with both federal and state police forces functioning simultaneously.

The bill seeks to modify relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to enable this shift in security architecture. Supporters of the measure argue that the current centralized system has struggled to address the nation's escalating security threats, including terrorism and banditry, making greater collaboration between federal and state governments necessary.

The Senate indicated it would prioritize consideration of the bill, with reports suggesting a vote scheduled for Wednesday. The legislative chamber cut short its scheduled break to address the executive's proposal.

The House of Representatives has already begun work on its own version of state police legislation, indicating parallel movement on the issue across both chambers of the National Assembly. Tinubu has repeatedly advocated for constitutional reforms that would permit states to assume larger responsibility for protecting lives and property within their territories.

The president has previously described such reforms as essential to tackling security challenges facing the nation. The bill's passage through the Senate would represent a major step in the administration's push to restructure Nigeria's security framework.