The Rivers State House of Assembly has voted in favour of establishing a state police force, following consideration of a constitutional amendment bill transmitted to the lawmakers by the National Assembly.
The decision was taken during a plenary session on Monday, September 28, 2026, which was televised live.
The House, presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, considered the constitutional amendment provisions forwarded by the National Assembly as part of the process of establishing state police across Nigeria.
During the plenary, the Speaker read a cover letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly and presented the accompanying constitutional amendment bill to the House.
The bill contained the proposed constitutional alterations required to provide for the establishment of state police.
Amaewhule reportedly read the relevant sections of the proposed amendment before members proceeded to vote.
The lawmakers voted in support of the provisions.
Following the vote, the Speaker said the House had adopted the votes and proceedings on state police as a working document. These votes and proceedings are hereby adopted as a working document of this House, Amaewhule said.
According to the report, Amaewhule said the decision was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
He also said the move was intended to support the security initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The move comes amid ongoing national discussions over the proposed establishment of state police as part of efforts to improve security and policing at the subnational level.
Following the approval, the Rivers State House of Assembly is expected to formally communicate its position to the National Assembly through an official letter.
The development represents Rivers State’s position in the constitutional amendment process concerning the establishment of state police.
The state legislature’s approval, however, forms part of a wider constitutional amendment procedure involving the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
