Ekiti Assembly Passes Bill to Establish State Police

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow the establishment of State Police Services across Nigeria.

The bill, known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, was passed during plenary on Tuesday, with all 21 lawmakers present voting in support.

The development marks the Assembly’s endorsement of efforts to decentralise policing and strengthen security at the state and community levels.

Following the passage, the Speaker of the Assembly, Adeoye Stephen Aribasoye, directed the Clerk of the House to forward the bill to the National Assembly, alongside observations made by the Ekiti lawmakers.

Speaking on the development, Aribasoye said the establishment of State Police had remained a major issue in Nigeria’s national discourse for more than two decades.

The Speaker stressed that Nigeria needed an effective and responsive policing system capable of addressing security threats and responding promptly to the needs of citizens.

According to him, Nigerians have repeatedly expressed concerns over delays in responding to distress calls, limited operational reach and the distance between security agencies and the communities they are expected to protect.

He added that inadequate and poorly coordinated local policing in some areas had worsened insecurity, threatening livelihoods, disrupting education, weakening business confidence and reducing public trust in security institutions.

Aribasoye maintained that a properly structured State Police system could improve accountability by bringing policing leadership and oversight closer to residents and their elected representatives.

However, he emphasised that the proposed system must operate within clearly defined constitutional safeguards to ensure effective supervision and prevent abuse.

The Speaker argued that Nigeria could no longer afford unnecessary delays in addressing its security problems, describing State Police as a long-overdue practical necessity rather than merely a theoretical option.

Meanwhile, the Assembly’s Committee of the Whole House recommended that the lawmakers approve the bill, subject to an amendment to Section 317A(5).

The committee explained that it examined the proposed legislation clause by clause and considered the constitutional framework required for the establishment and operation of State Police Services.

It recommended inserting the phrase, “an Act of the National Assembly or a Law of the State House of Assembly, as applicable,” after the words “this Constitution” in the proposed Section 317A(5).

According to the committee, the amendment would clearly recognise the legislative powers of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly within their respective constitutional jurisdictions when authorising relevant security arrangements.

The passage of the bill by the Ekiti Assembly represents a step in the ongoing debate over restructuring Nigeria’s policing system to address growing security concerns.

The proposal will now be transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration as part of the constitutional amendment process.

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