Nigeria's State Police Bill Moves to Legislative Review Amid Calls for Nationwide Public Hearings

Civil society organization the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has urged Nigeria’s National Assembly to hold comprehensive public hearings across all six geopolitical zones before passing the proposed State Police Bill, describing it as a far‑reaching constitutional amendment that could reshape the country’s security architecture.

RULAAC warned that without strong constitutional safeguards, independent oversight, transparent recruitment and clear limits on executive power, state police forces could be vulnerable to political manipulation, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In the House of Representatives, leadership has established a Conference Committee to harmonise the State Police Bill with the Senate’s version. The committee will be chaired by Majority Leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, while Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Kalu affirmed that the bill includes strict guardrails to prevent abuse and aims to decentralise policing for better local accountability. Two ad‑hoc committees were also created to oversee public‑finance issues and budget releases.