The Ondo State House of Assembly has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to pave the way for the creation of state police, adding its voice to the growing push for decentralised policing in Nigeria.
The lawmakers endorsed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, during Monday’s plenary session on October 26, after it successfully passed its second and third readings.
All members present at the sitting supported the bill.
The Majority Leader of the House, Olatunji Oshati, moved the motion for its passage, while Allen Oluwatoyin, who represents Ese Odo State Constituency, seconded it.
Speaking in support of the proposal, Oshati said the Assembly had carefully assessed how the amendment could affect citizens, maintaining that state police could help address the country’s persistent security problems.
The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, described the proposed reform as overdue, arguing that allowing states to establish their own police services would improve the country’s response to crime and other security threats.
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He said, “bill would enable security agencies to respond swiftly to crime and other security concerns.”
Oladiji further explained that decentralising policing could strengthen intelligence gathering and enable security agencies to take preventive action against criminal activities.
“State policing would help reduce crime through improved intelligence gathering and proactive security measures.”
The Speaker praised members of the Assembly for their contributions to the legislative process and the successful passage of the bill.
He then instructed the Clerk of the House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, to forward the approved document to the National Assembly, together with the observations of the Ondo legislature.
The approval places Ondo among the states that have passed the proposed amendment, which seeks to create a constitutional framework for state police.
The proposal comes amid continuing national debate over whether decentralising policing would improve security operations, strengthen local intelligence and enable faster responses to threats across Nigeria.