Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Rivers State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, joining the Osun and Edo state legislatures in backing the proposed reform.
The decision was taken during plenary on Monday, September 28, 2026, after lawmakers considered the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which was transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval.
All 25 members of the Rivers Assembly voted in favour of the proposal following consultations with their constituents, according to reports from Punch and other Nigerian media organisations.
Rivers Assembly backs constitutional amendment
The proposed amendment is designed to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment and operation of State Police Services alongside the existing federal policing structure.
Speaking after the vote, Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule said lawmakers had considered the views gathered during consultations before supporting the proposal.
He said Nigerians had for years called for a policing structure at the subnational level that could complement the Nigeria Police Force.
Amaewhule said the Rivers Assembly’s vote represented the position of the 10th Assembly in support of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.
The Speaker also linked the decision to efforts to strengthen security and protect lives and property across the country.
Osun and Edo had already approved the proposal
Rivers is not the first state legislature to endorse the State Police proposal.
The Osun State House of Assembly approved the proposal on September 22, becoming the first state legislature reported to have given concurrence to the amendment.
The Edo State House of Assembly subsequently approved the State Police constitutional alteration bill on September 23.
Reports from BusinessDay and Vanguard said Edo lawmakers unanimously backed the proposal after it was transmitted by the National Assembly. The Edo Assembly also directed its Clerk to forward clean copies of the concurrence resolution to the National Assembly.
The decisions by Osun, Edo and Rivers are part of the wider constitutional amendment process now taking place across Nigeria’s state legislatures.
What the State Police proposal seeks to change
Nigeria’s current policing system is principally organised around the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.
The proposed constitutional amendment would create a framework for State Police Services, allowing states to establish their own police organisations while maintaining the Federal Police Service.
The proposal is therefore aimed at changing the country’s policing architecture rather than simply creating another security agency at the state level.
Supporters of the reform have argued that state-level policing could bring security personnel closer to communities and improve responses to local security challenges.
The proposal has also generated broader discussions about how state police would be funded, supervised and held accountable.
Constitutional process still has several stages
The endorsement by Rivers does not by itself establish a State Police Service in the state or across Nigeria.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration passed by the National Assembly requires approval by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stages of the constitutional amendment process.
With 36 state Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, this means at least 24 state legislatures must concur with the proposed alteration.
The National Assembly transmitted the State Police proposal to the state legislatures on September 16, 2026, beginning the state-level consideration of the amendment.
The approval process therefore remains ongoing, with other state assemblies expected to consider the proposal according to their respective legislative procedures.
Why the development matters
The Rivers Assembly’s decision adds another state legislature to the growing number considering a major change to Nigeria’s policing structure.
For advocates of decentralised policing, the proposed system could provide states with greater capacity to respond to security concerns within their communities.
However, the establishment of State Police Services would also require clear constitutional and institutional safeguards concerning recruitment, funding, command structures, professional standards and accountability.
These issues are particularly important because state police officers would operate within political jurisdictions where state governments and other powerful local actors have significant influence.
The proposed amendment therefore goes beyond the question of whether states should have their own police services. It also raises questions about how such services would be structured and supervised to ensure that policing remains professional and accountable.
National debate over state police continues
The move comes amid a longstanding national debate over whether Nigeria’s highly centralised policing arrangement is adequate for the country’s security needs.
Support for state police has increased among several political and civic stakeholders, particularly amid continuing concerns about insecurity and the ability of federal security agencies to respond effectively to local threats.
At the same time, concerns about potential political interference, uneven funding between states and human-rights safeguards have remained part of discussions surrounding the proposed reform.
The constitutional amendment process provides an opportunity for those issues to be considered as state legislatures examine the proposal.
What happens next
The Rivers Assembly’s concurrence will now form part of the state-level consideration of the constitutional amendment.
The process still requires the support of at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly before the amendment can advance to subsequent constitutional stages.
Rivers, Osun and Edo have now recorded their positions in favour of the proposal, while other state legislatures continue to consider, receive or process the bill.
The eventual outcome will depend on the number of state assemblies that approve the proposal and the subsequent constitutional procedures required before any State Police framework can take effect.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Punch — Rivers Assembly backs State Police Bill.
- Channels Television — Rivers Assembly endorses constitutional amendment on State Police.
- The Sun Nigeria — Rivers lawmakers vote unanimously for constitutional amendment.
- BusinessDay — Edo Assembly becomes second to pass State Police Bill after Osun.
- Vanguard — Edo Assembly approves State Police Bill.
