The Ondo State House of Assembly has approved the proposed constitutional amendment to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, joining the growing call for decentralised policing to strengthen security and improve crime prevention across the country.
The approval followed the consideration of a bill seeking to alter the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, to provide a legal framework for the establishment and operation of state police services. The proposal was transmitted to the Assembly through a letter from the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Kamoru Ogunlana, which was read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, during plenary on September 24.
The bill subsequently scaled the second and third readings during Monday's plenary presided over by Oladiji, with lawmakers supporting its passage by more than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. However, the Assembly's Committee of the Whole House recommended an amendment to Section 317A(5) as part of its observations on the proposed constitutional alteration.
Speaking on the development, Oladiji described the establishment of state police as an issue that had remained prominent in Nigeria's national discourse for more than two decades. He said the Assembly considered decentralised policing a necessary step towards addressing the country's security challenges and strengthening governance at the grassroots.
“Following the extensive deliberations and thorough scrutiny of this bill by this Honourable House, it is clear that this is the least we can do to strengthen security and governance in our dear state,” the Speaker said.
Oladiji added that the Assembly had examined and agreed to the provisions of the bill as presented, expressing optimism that the proposed reform would enhance the protection of lives and property. He stressed that Nigeria could no longer afford unnecessary delays in adopting practical measures to tackle insecurity.
In its report, the Committee of the Whole House identified several potential benefits of state police, including improved understanding of local security challenges, quicker responses to emergencies, stronger intelligence gathering and more effective crime prevention.
The committee also noted that state police could complement the Federal Police Service by addressing security concerns within individual states, allowing the federal police to concentrate more on interstate crimes and other complex security operations.
On agricultural security, the committee said the proposed arrangement could help protect farmers and farming communities against kidnapping and other attacks, thereby creating a safer environment for agricultural activities and boosting food production. It also highlighted the importance of improving security along highways to protect road users.
Following the deliberations, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the Assembly to transmit the bill to the National Assembly alongside the observations and recommendations of the Ondo lawmakers in line with the constitutional amendment process.
The development comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to establish a legal framework for decentralised policing in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu, on July 7, 2026, inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for implementing state police across the country.
The initiative followed the National Assembly's passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which proposes a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
The proposed reform is intended to bring policing closer to communities, improve local intelligence gathering and strengthen Nigeria's capacity to respond to persistent security threats.
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