Benue Assembly Adopts State Police Establishment Bill
By Aloysius Umalo, Makurdi
The Benue State House of Assembly has adopted the proposed constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of State Police Services, throwing its weight behind the decentralisation of policing as a measure to address Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
The decision was taken during Tuesday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alfred Berger Emberga, following deliberations on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.
The Executive Bill was presented to the House by the Majority Leader, Hon. Peter Bemdoo Ipusu, who urged lawmakers to give the proposed amendment accelerated consideration in order to meet the stipulated legislative timeframe.
Leading the debate, Ipusu said the establishment of state police would strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots, facilitate faster responses to security emergencies and improve law enforcement through personnel who are more familiar with the Communities they serve.
He argued that a decentralised policing structure would enable states to respond more effectively to security threats peculiar to their environments, including rural banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and urban crime.
According to him, the proposed arrangement would also allow the Nigeria Police Force to concentrate more effectively on national security responsibilities and major criminal activities, while state police services handle local security concerns.
Ipusu further identified employment generation and enhanced accountability as potential benefits of state policing, stressing that bringing security administration closer to the people could improve public confidence in law enforcement.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to establish a legal framework for the creation and operation of State Police Services alongside the Federal Police Service, including provisions relating to their responsibilities, funding and operational guidelines.
Following the adoption of the bill, Speaker Emberga directed the Clerk of the House to transmit the decision of the Benue State House of Assembly to the National Assembly for further legislative action.
The development makes Benue part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process aimed at providing a legal framework for state police across the country.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, 24 states before it can proceed to the President for assent.
The state police proposal is part of broader national efforts to restructure Nigeria’s policing architecture and strengthen responses to emerging security threats.
Meanwhile, 13 states are reported to have so far adopted the proposed State Police Bill, with the amendment requiring the support of at least 24 State Houses of Assembly to advance to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process.
Also during Tuesday’s plenary, the Benue State House of Assembly gave first reading to the Free Eye Screening and Cataract Surgery Bill.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. Simon Gabo, representing Mata State Constituency, seeks to provide a legislative framework for free eye screening and cataract surgery in the state.
Following its first reading, Speaker Emberga directed the House Standing Committee on Rules and Business to prepare the bill for further legislative consideration.
