Nigerian House Passes Bill to Establish State Police Services

The Nigerian House of Representatives passed an Executive Bill on July 23, 2026, to establish state police services, moving the country toward a decentralized security system. The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797)”, was transmitted by Bola Tinubu to reorganize the national security architecture and combat banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that 311 lawmakers supported the bill—including 276 physical attendees and 35 online voters—surpassing the required two-thirds majority. The House opted to adopt the executive proposal and dissolved a conference committee previously tasked with reconciling this bill with a version already approved by the Senate of Nigeria.

Despite the bill's passage, the session ended in turmoil as the minority caucus staged a walkout. Minority Leader Frederick Agbedi and spokesperson Afam Ogene alleged that Speaker Abbas violated Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution by conducting a voice vote after reading only the long title of the bill. While the minority caucus stated they support the creation of state police to improve security, they argued that the lack of a clause-by-clause consideration undermined the integrity of the legislative process.