Akwa Ibom Assembly Backs State Police, Sends Constitutional Proposal To Abuja
By IFIOK UDOM
THE Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the establishment of state police services in Nigeria.
Lawmakers approved the proposal on Wednesday after considering a report from the House Committee on Inter-Governmental, Political and Special Matters. The decision advances the state’s legislative position on a reform that would decentralise aspects of policing.
Presenting the report, the committee’s chairman and member representing Ukanafun State Constituency, Hon. Emem Udom, recommended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, as transmitted, without amendments.
Udom said the proposal seeks to create a constitutional framework for establishing and operating state police services. He explained that the committee examined provisions relating to administration, funding, oversight and operational responsibilities.
Under the proposed arrangement, state governments would be able to establish their own police services, while the Federal Police Service would retain its responsibilities within federal jurisdiction. The framework would also provide for cooperation between federal and state police authorities through information sharing and mutual assistance.
According to the committee, decentralised policing could improve security responses, strengthen crime prevention and bring law enforcement closer to local communities. In addition, officers with knowledge of their communities could help improve intelligence gathering and identify emerging threats more quickly.
The report also identified youth employment as a potential benefit of establishing state police services. However, the proposal’s practical impact would depend on the final constitutional provisions and the arrangements governing funding, oversight and accountability.
Following the Assembly’s approval, Speaker directed the Clerk, Mrs. Nsikakabasi Orok, to transmit the resolution to the National Assembly for further legislative action. The proposal must therefore proceed through the relevant national legislative process before any constitutional change can take effect.
The Assembly’s decision adds Akwa Ibom’s support to the state-policing debate, but it does not, by itself, establish a state police service. Further action at the national level remains necessary.
