Plateau Assembly approves state police bill

The Plateau State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved the constitutional amendment bill to establish state police in Nigeria, advancing efforts to decentralise policing amid persistent security challenges across the country.

The lawmakers adopted the recommendations of an ad hoc committee on the bill during plenary, following the presentation of its report by the committee’s chairman, Theodore Maiyaki, who represents Qua’an-Pan South Constituency.

The Speaker, Naanlong Daniel, presided over the sitting where lawmakers endorsed the proposal, which seeks to provide a constitutional framework for establishing state police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

Presenting the committee’s report, Mr Maiyaki said the proposed reform would help address Nigeria’s security challenges, tackle manpower shortages in the police force and improve policing at the community level.

He said strengthening the country’s security architecture was necessary to improve responses to security threats and protect lives and property.

The committee also highlighted the importance of security to socioeconomic development in Plateau State and the country at large.

Following deliberations, the lawmakers adopted the committee’s recommendations and voted in favour of the proposed constitutional amendment.

The approval comes amid persistent security concerns in Plateau, where attacks on communities have prompted repeated calls for stronger security deployments, improved intelligence gathering and more effective responses to threats.

In September, the Assembly began considering the proposed amendment after the National Assembly transmitted a communication through Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

At the time, Mr Daniel said state police could complement the Nigeria Police Force and strengthen security coordination at the state and community levels.

The proposal, known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeks to provide the constitutional basis for establishing state police services.

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The proposed reform is part of broader efforts to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture amid concerns about the centralised policing system’s ability to respond adequately to security threats across the country.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, amending the Constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly, representing 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states.

Plateau’s approval therefore contributes to the ongoing process of securing the required legislative support from the states.

During the same sitting, the Assembly also passed two other bills for first reading.

They are the Plateau State Right of Patients and Medical Institutions Bill and the Plateau State Bill on Jungle Justice, Mob Action and Other Forms of Unlawful Violence Against Persons.

The bills will proceed to subsequent stages of legislative consideration in accordance with the House’s rules.