The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has unanimously passed the State Police Bill, endorsing a proposed constitutional amendment to pave the way for the establishment of state police services across Nigeria.
The bill, transmitted to the state legislature by the National Assembly for concurrence, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, to provide a legal framework for state-controlled policing while retaining the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.
The lawmakers approved the bill during plenary at the Assembly Complex along Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. All 24 members of the House voted in favour of the proposed constitutional amendment following deliberations and consultations with their constituents.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Moses Ije Odunwa, who presided over the plenary, said the unanimous decision demonstrated the legislature’s commitment to constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security system.
According to him, decentralising policing could improve access to criminal intelligence, strengthen responses to local security threats and enhance the protection of lives and property.
Odunwa also noted that the demand for state police had remained a longstanding position among the people of Ebonyi State.
He recalled that the state had formally expressed its support for the establishment of state police during a public hearing organised by the National Assembly as part of its constitutional review exercise.
The Speaker said the passage of the bill reflected the desire of Ebonyi residents for a policing structure that would be closer to communities and better equipped to address their specific security challenges.
The Leader of the House and representative of Afikpo North-West Constituency, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, said the creation of state police services could increase the number of security personnel available to tackle crime.
Ikoro added that a decentralised policing structure could improve the effectiveness of law enforcement, particularly at the grassroots level, where local knowledge may help officers respond more efficiently to criminal activities.
Similarly, Hon. Victor Chidi Nwoke, who represents Abakaliki North Constituency, and Hon. Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali, representing Afikpo North-East Constituency, supported the proposal.
The Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Nkemka Okoro Onumah, also emphasised the importance of bringing policing closer to residents as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
Their contributions highlighted the lawmakers’ shared position that a state-level policing system could strengthen local security operations and improve responses to threats within communities.
Following the unanimous passage, Speaker Odunwa directed the Clerk of the House, Mrs. Uche Edene, to forward an official memorandum communicating the Assembly’s resolution to the National Assembly.
The development marks Ebonyi State’s legislative endorsement of the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police services.
However, the passage of the bill by the Ebonyi Assembly represents the state legislature’s concurrence with the proposal. The wider constitutional amendment process must still be completed before the proposed framework can take effect.
The debate over state police has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s efforts to reform its security architecture, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing could improve intelligence gathering and make security operations more responsive to local needs.
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