Nigeria's House of Representatives passed a constitutional amendment bill (HB 617) to establish state police amid persistent insecurity, Premium Times reported on June 11. The proposal would amend the 1999 constitution to allow states to create and oversee their own police services, while preserving federal intervention powers in specified circumstances and granting governors authority to appoint state police commissioners, subject to legislative approval.

Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple security crises linked to terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and intercommunal violence, particularly in the northern states. The federal government has struggled to effectively contain these crises due to various issues, including limited security resources and shortages of well-trained personnel.