The Kogi State House of Assembly has unanimously voted in favor of the proposed constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, citing the imperative to decentralize internal security and generate youth employment.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, announced the passage of the Constitution Alteration Bill during plenary deliberations at the Assembly Complex in Lokoja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Speaker Yusuf characterized the ratification as a key legislative action aimed at reinforcing the federal government’s legal framework to better safeguard lives and property across local communities.
He noted that persistent security threats—including banditry, kidnapping, political thuggery, terrorism, and farmer-herder conflicts—necessitate a localized security apparatus capable of immediate tactical response and intelligence gathering.
The Speaker highlighted that the constitutional alteration bill, initiated under the executive leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly before being transmitted to state assemblies pursuant to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Yusuf emphasized that establishing state police formations would enable the state government to recruit personnel familiar with the terrain, culture, and specific security dynamics of local communities, thereby complementing the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force.
He further noted that the recruitment drive inherent in creating a state police force would absorb thousands of young people, providing direct employment and curbing crime driven by youth unemployment.
Contributing to the floor debate, lawmakers across party lines supported the bill, maintaining that a localized policing framework would eliminate administrative delays and enhance community-level surveillance.
Following the unanimous vote approving the constitutional amendment, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to transmit the Assembly’s resolution to the National Assembly.
