The House of Representatives has begun considering the executive bill on the establishment of state police, transmitted by President Bola Tinubu as part of broader constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security framework.

Speaking at a meeting of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Deputy Speaker and committee chairman Benjamin Kalu said the House could adopt the version of the bill already passed by the Senate, with only minor amendments if necessary. He recalled that before the National Assembly’s recess, the House had passed its own version of the bill on June 11, but rescinded that decision on July 14 after the president’s own version was transmitted, to allow lawmakers consider the executive proposal.

Kalu said the president, given his constitutional responsibility for national security, was well positioned to introduce comprehensive legislation addressing the country’s security challenges, noting that the executive bill had already passed first and second reading, while extensive stakeholder engagement during the National Assembly’s Open Week had effectively served as the required public hearing.

He reminded members that the full Constitution Review Committee, not just its leadership, bears responsibility for scrutinizing the bill to ensure it reflects public expectations, describing the state police proposal as one of Tinubu’s flagship reforms and noting the president’s long standing advocacy for a multi layered policing system dating back to his tenure as Lagos State governor. He said the executive and legislature remain aligned in prioritizing security as a central goal of governance.