BREAKING: Reps to vote Thursday on constitutional amendment for creation of state police

The House of Representatives is set to vote on a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria, with the decisive consideration scheduled for Thursday.

Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Abuja, where he urged all lawmakers to be present for the plenary session.

Kalu said the importance of the proposed amendment makes full participation by members critical, stressing that the outcome of the vote would be a major step in the ongoing constitutional review process.

The bill, which has been widely debated in policy and security circles, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow states to establish and operate their own policing structures alongside the federal police system.

Supporters of the proposal argue that state police would improve rapid response to insecurity and strengthen localised law enforcement, while critics have raised concerns about potential abuse, politicisation and uneven capacity across states.

The vote is expected to be one of the most significant decisions in the current amendment cycle, given the long-standing national debate over decentralised policing and security reform.