Police

The Senate is expected to take a decisive step on the proposed constitutional amendment seeking the establishment of state police when lawmakers reconvene for an emergency plenary session on Tuesday. The move follows efforts by the leadership of the upper chamber to resume consideration of the bill after its passage…...

The Senate is expected to take a decisive step on the proposed constitutional amendment seeking the establishment of state police when lawmakers reconvene for an emergency plenary session on Tuesday.

The move follows efforts by the leadership of the upper chamber to resume consideration of the bill after its passage was delayed by insufficient attendance before the Senate embarked on its recent three-week recess.

According to THISDAY, a senior Senate official, who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the proposal could not be concluded earlier because the chamber failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution.

According to the source, Senate leaders have since stepped up consultations and reached out to members across party lines to ensure adequate attendance and support for the measure during the emergency session.

If passed, the bill would mark a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture through the creation of state police forces.

The source said, “We will surely reconvene on Tuesday to pass the bill on State Police. We did not form the quorum, which is the two-thirds majority of the 109 senators required by the Constitution for the passage of a constitutional amendment bill.

“The leadership has spoken with members and there is optimism that the required number will be present,” he said.

The emergency plenary session is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

The Senate had formally notified lawmakers of the sitting through a memo issued on June 15 by the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Emmanuel Odo.

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The notice indicated that the session was convened at the instance of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to deliberate on matters considered critical to the nation’s stability and security.

According to the notice, the emergency session would focus on issues of urgent national importance, particularly national security and other pressing concerns requiring immediate legislative intervention.

“The Senate regrets any inconvenience this emergency sitting may cause and urges all distinguished senators to make the necessary arrangements to attend,” the notice stated.

The proposed State Police Bill, which had been passed by the House of Representatives penultimate week, has remained one of the most consequential constitutional reform initiatives before the National Assembly in recent years.

Advocates argue that decentralising policing powers would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based security operations and enable state governments to respond more effectively to local security threats.

Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under the control of the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force.

However, persistent security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and communal violence in several parts of the country, have renewed calls for the establishment of state-controlled police formations.

Supporters of the proposal maintain that state police would complement federal security efforts and enhance law enforcement efficiency, while critics have expressed concerns about possible political abuse by state governments.