Reps Receive Constitution Amendment Report on State Police Bill
The House of Representatives has taken another step toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria following the receipt of the report of its Special Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review on the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to create state-controlled police services.
The report, presented during Tuesday’s plenary by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, formally places the proposed legislation before the House for debate and clause-by-clause consideration.
The presentation followed an executive session of the Constitution Review Committee, where members harmonised the House’s position with the Senate’s version of the bill as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
The proposed amendment seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the establishment, regulation and operation of state police services and other related matters. The report is expected to be scheduled for consideration on a subsequent legislative day, with the House Committee on Rules and Business to fix the date for debate.
The state police proposal remains one of the most anticipated constitutional amendment bills before the National Assembly amid growing calls from state governments, security experts and civil society organisations for the decentralisation of policing to tackle rising insecurity across the country.
Proponents argue that state police would strengthen intelligence gathering, improve community policing and ensure quicker responses to local security challenges. However, critics have raised concerns over the potential misuse of state police by governors and have called for strong constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.
Meanwhile, the House also approved the 2025 and 2026 budget estimates of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund following the adoption of the report of its Committee on Police Affairs.
For the 2025 fiscal year, lawmakers approved ₦170.11 billion, comprising ₦27.29 billion for capital expenditure at the Police Trust Fund headquarters, ₦132.45 billion for capital projects for the Nigeria Police Force, ₦1.82 billion for personnel costs and ₦8.54 billion for overhead expenses.
Similarly, the House approved ₦233.96 billion as the proposed budget for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund for the 2026 fiscal year. The estimates include ₦43.78 billion for capital expenditure at the Trust Fund headquarters, ₦179.11 billion for capital projects for the Nigeria Police Force, ₦1.86 billion for personnel costs and ₦9.21 billion for overhead expenditure.
The approved budgets are expected to proceed to a third reading before their final passage by the House. Established under the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, the fund is designed to provide additional financing for the training, equipment, logistics and welfare of the Nigeria Police Force, complementing annual budgetary allocations to improve policing and strengthen internal security across the country.