The House of Representatives passed the Executive Bill on state police during plenary session on Thursday, July 23, 2026, marking a significant step toward decentralising Nigeria's policing system. The House withdrew its own earlier constitutional amendment proposal and adopted the Executive Bill instead, streamlining the legislative process.
Procedural Shift in the Lower Chamber
Lawmakers in Abuja took a notable procedural turn by setting aside their own constitutional amendment proposal on state police and backing the Executive Bill. This decision signals a shift in the lower chamber's approach, aiming for a unified legislative output on the matter, as reported by The Cable.
Senate's Prior Approval
The House passage followed the Nigerian Senate's approval of its own version of the state police bill earlier. Both chambers of the National Assembly have now taken significant steps toward enshrining a dual policing structure in Nigerian law, according to Punch.
The proposed reform seeks to decentralise security management, allowing states to independently run and fund their own police forces alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force. Supporters argue this will improve emergency response times and make law enforcement more responsive to local conditions across Nigeria's 36 states.
Next Steps Toward Legislation
The concurrent legislative action brings Nigeria closer to the constitutional backing needed for state-level policing. The next steps will involve harmonising the two versions of the bill through a conference committee before it can proceed for presidential assent.
Previously, Legit.ng reported that amid insecurity in Nigeria, the Senate passed constitutional amendment bills to establish state police on Wednesday, June 24. This was announced via X (formerly Twitter) by Imran Muhammad, senior special assistant on new media to the APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda.
