State Police: C’River Assembly Joins Constitutional Amendment Debate

CROSS RIVER, CALABAR – The debate over Nigeria’s proposed State Police structure has reached Cross River, with the State House of Assembly commencing consideration of the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly.

Truth Live News reports that the development was sighted on the social media handle of the Cross River State House of Assembly Correspondent, Itam Offor.

The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services; and for Related Matters,” seeks to create a constitutional framework for State Police Services across the 36 states.

The National Assembly transmitted the bill to the state Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, following its passage by both chambers, for consideration and approval.

Under the proposal, Nigeria’s existing federal policing structure would be complemented by State Police Services, while the Nigeria Police Force would continue as the Federal Police Service.

At plenary, members of the Cross River Assembly moved and seconded a motion for the correspondence and accompanying documents from the National Assembly to be called, received and laid on the table.

The House subsequently agreed to receive the documents as working materials for its consideration of the proposed constitutional alteration.

The Bill thereafter passed its First Reading, formally opening the legislative process in the Cross River Assembly.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, stressed that the proposal would follow the normal legislative process before the Assembly reaches a position on the issue.

The Speaker’s position is significant because the commencement of consideration does not amount to approval or rejection of the proposed State Police system.

Rather, the Assembly is now expected to study the provisions and proceed through subsequent stages of legislative consideration.

The development comes as State Houses of Assembly across Nigeria begin responding to the National Assembly’s transmission of the proposed constitutional alteration.

The National Assembly has clarified that the State Police proposal is the constitutional alteration bill so far transmitted to all 36 state legislatures for consideration.

For the proposal to become part of the Constitution, it must secure the constitutionally required level of support from the state Houses of Assembly before the process can proceed further.

The Cross River Assembly’s consideration therefore places the state among the legislatures now participating in the constitutional process that could fundamentally alter Nigeria’s policing architecture.

For now, however, the Assembly has only commenced consideration, with its final position on the proposed State Police Services yet to be determined.