The Edo State House of Assembly has unanimously approved the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, adding its voice to the growing number of state legislatures considering the reform.
The bill was considered during plenary in Benin City after being transmitted to the Assembly by the Clerk of the National Assembly for consideration and concurrence. Lawmakers debated the proposal before unanimously approving it.
Leading the debate, the House Majority Leader, Osezua Sunday Ojezelle, urged lawmakers to support the amendment, saying the proposed framework could provide an additional approach to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Other lawmakers also backed the proposal. Donald Okogbe, representing Akoko-Edo Constituency II, described the initiative as a significant step that could create employment opportunities, while Charity Aiguobaehian of Ovia North-East Constituency I said State Police could strengthen security at the community level.
Richard Edosa, representing Oredo Constituency I, called for the establishment of an Edo State Police Commission under the proposed framework. Maria Edeko, representing Esan North-East Constituency II, also said the measure could contribute to restoring peace and security in communities.
Following the debate, Ojezelle moved for the passage of the bill, with the motion seconded by Minority Leader Natasha Osawaru. The motion was subsequently adopted unanimously. Speaker Yekini Idiaye directed the Clerk to prepare and transmit clean copies of the resolution to the National Assembly.
The development is significant because the State Police proposal has now entered the state-level stage of Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process. The National Assembly transmitted the 2026 Constitution Alteration Bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly after both chambers approved the State Police proposal.
For the amendment to proceed, at least 24 of the 36 state legislatures representing two-thirds must approve it. The National Assembly has encouraged the assemblies to communicate their resolutions within 30 days, although that period is an administrative expectation rather than a constitutional deadline.
The proposed reform comes amid longstanding debate over whether policing should remain largely centralised or be decentralised to improve responses to local security challenges, while concerns about funding, accountability and possible political interference remain part of the national discussion.
