By Ahmed Muhammed Danasabe, Lokoja
The Kogi State House of Assembly has unanimously concurred with the National Assembly on the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police in Nigeria.
The concurrence followed the consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, at its third and final reading during plenary on Tuesday.
Speaking during the session, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, described the consideration of the bill as a significant step towards strengthening security at the community level.
He said the growing security challenges facing the country had made it necessary for communities to play a greater role in protecting lives and property.
According to the Speaker, persistent security threats had compelled many communities to organise local security arrangements to protect themselves against criminal activities.
He noted that the establishment of state police would provide a legal framework for more effective security operations and enable states to respond more efficiently to threats within their territories.
Y
usuf recalled that the Kogi State House of Assembly had previously passed legislation on vigilante services and supported initiatives involving hunters as part of efforts to strengthen community security.
He said the proposed state police system would create opportunities for states to access appropriate security equipment and resources to tackle emerging threats.
Contributing to the debate, lawmakers unanimously supported the proposal, arguing that state police would bring security operations closer to the people and facilitate faster responses to emergencies.
The bill was transmitted to all 36 state Houses of Assembly by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, on September 16, 2026, following its passage by the Senate on June 24 and the House of Representatives on July 23, 2026.
