Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services.
Gatekeepers News reports that the resolution was adopted on Monday during plenary presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, with all 25 lawmakers present voting in support of the proposed amendment.
Amaewhule said the proposed amendment would create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of state police services while allowing the National Assembly to prescribe national minimum standards for policing.
He said the lawmakers’ decision followed consultations with their constituents and described the proposed subnational policing system as a means of complementing the Nigeria Police Force.
“We are already aware that over time, Nigerians have been clamouring for an opportunity to have a policing system at the subnational level to complement the federal police,” Amaewhule said.
He added that the assembly supported efforts to improve the security of lives and property across the country.
The Rivers assembly is expected to formally communicate its resolution to the National Assembly as part of the constitutional amendment process.
The National Assembly transmitted the State Police Bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, following its passage by the Senate and House of Representatives. The bill is now at the state ratification stage of the constitutional amendment process.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, constitutional amendments require approval by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before the National Assembly can proceed with the process. In practical terms, at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies must approve the proposal.
Rivers becomes one of the state legislatures considering the proposal, following Osun, which was reported as the first state to approve the amendment.
The National Assembly has clarified that the State Police Bill is the only constitutional amendment proposal so far transmitted to the state legislatures for consideration.
