The Rivers State House of Assembly has joined the growing number of state legislatures backing the proposed constitutional amendment for the establishment of State Police Services in Nigeria.
The Assembly approved the bill on Monday, September 28, with all 25 lawmakers present voting in favour during plenary. Rivers thereby joined Osun and Edo, whose assemblies had earlier approved the proposal.
The proposed amendment, contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, was transmitted by the National Assembly to all 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration. The transmission took place on September 16 as part of the constitutional amendment process.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment of this nature requires approval from at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly — 24 of the 36 legislatures — before the process can proceed to the next stage.
Rivers Assembly backs proposal
The bill dominated Monday’s sitting of the Rivers Assembly, presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule.
Before the vote, Amaewhule explained that the lawmakers’ role was to determine whether the state approved the proposed constitutional alteration transmitted by the National Assembly.
He said the bill was designed to establish a constitutional framework for State Police Services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the federal policing institution.
According to the Speaker, the proposal also provides for national minimum standards and constitutional safeguards covering areas including human rights, civilian oversight, police accountability, firearms control and cooperation between federal and state authorities.
The bill contains 26 clauses and proposes 25 alterations to existing constitutional provisions, the Speaker said.
Following the reading of the proposal, the lawmakers voted by raising their hands.
The Clerk subsequently recorded 25 votes in support, with no vote against and no abstention.
Amaewhule said the Assembly supported efforts to strengthen security by introducing policing at the sub-national level alongside the existing federal structure.
He also said state police could help bring policing closer to communities, while emphasising the need for cooperation among the different levels of government.
Osun and Edo had earlier approved bill
Rivers’ decision came after the Osun State House of Assembly approved the proposed constitutional amendment on September 22. The Edo State House of Assembly followed on September 24.
Osun lawmakers described the proposed State Police framework as a possible way to strengthen security responses at the state and local levels. Edo lawmakers similarly backed the proposal, with members citing security and employment considerations.
Other state assemblies have begun considering the proposal. Plateau, for example, commenced its consideration of the bill on September 25, while Oyo also received the amendment for legislative consideration.
24 states needed
The National Assembly has given the state legislatures a 30-day administrative period to consider the proposal and communicate their resolutions.
For the amendment to clear the constitutional hurdle at the state level, at least 24 Houses of Assembly must approve it. The process would then move to the subsequent stages prescribed by the Constitution.
The proposed reform would allow states to establish their own police services while preserving the federal police structure.
The bill is part of a broader debate over Nigeria’s policing system and whether greater decentralisation could improve responses to security challenges.
As more state assemblies consider the proposal, the outcome of the constitutional process will determine whether State Police Services become part of Nigeria’s formal policing structure.
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