The Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed the constitutional amendment required for the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria.

The development follows the transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by the National Assembly to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration.

The proposed amendment seeks to create a dual policing structure under which states would have the constitutional authority to establish and maintain their own police services, while the Nigeria Police Force would retain responsibility for national security matters.

Under the proposal, the Nigeria Police Force would continue to handle areas including terrorism, border security, cybercrime and arms trafficking, while state police would focus on policing within their respective jurisdictions.

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The constitutional amendment requires approval from at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stage of the legislative process and eventually be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The proposal also contains safeguards intended to prevent the abuse of state police powers, including provisions against using state police authorities to target individuals or groups for criticising state governments.

The Rivers Assembly’s endorsement adds to the ongoing consideration of the proposed constitutional amendment by state legislatures across the country.

The proposed creation of state police has attracted debate among political and security stakeholders, with supporters pointing to the need for stronger community-level policing, while the constitutional amendment process is designed to determine the legal framework for its establishment.