Nigeria State Police Bill faces legal challenge in Abuja court

A group of plaintiffs, including the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought and Speak-Out Africa, has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the passage of the State Police Bill. The suit seeks to declare the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, unconstitutional and void.

The legal challenge targets the House of Representatives and its Speaker, alleging procedural irregularities during the bill's passage on July 23, 2026. The plaintiffs contend that constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority established through individual voting rather than a voice vote. Additionally, the suit questions whether the constitutional requirement for a two-thirds majority can be met without a clause-by-clause reading of the amendment provisions.