Gombe Assembly approves state police

By Ben Ngwakwe The Gombe State House of Assembly has approved proposed constitutional amendments to pave the way for the establishment of State Police in Nigeria. The development followed an earlier statement made to newsmen by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Aliyu Baba Manu, that the bill had not been officially presented to lawmakers.

According to a report of the Assembly’s proceedings, the lawmakers considered and adopted the recommendations of a seven-member ad hoc committee on constitutional review, endorsing proposed amendments to various provisions of the 1999 Constitution, including those relating to the establishment and operation of State Police Services. With this, 25 state legislatures have endorsed state police The reported action marks a significant step in Gombe State’s participation in the ongoing constitutional process aimed at decentralising policing and strengthening Nigeria’s response to mounting security challenges.

The proposed constitutional alteration, reportedly containing 26 clauses, was said to have been transmitted to the state legislature by the National Assembly on October 6, 2026, for consideration in line with Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. The proposed reform seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment and operation of State Police Services alongside the Nigeria Police Force, which currently operates under federal control.

As part of the process, the Gombe Assembly constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee on constitutional review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sadam Bello Sale, to examine the proposed amendments and make recommendations to the House. Presenting the committee’s report, Sale said members had consulted relevant stakeholders as part of their assignment.

He added that the report received the support of a two-thirds majority of lawmakers, in accordance with Order 17, Rule 3 of the Gombe State House of Assembly Standing Orders, 2020. During plenary on Thursday, the lawmakers reportedly considered the committee’s recommendations at the Committee of the Whole and adopted the report, endorsing the proposed amendments, including those concerning State Police Services.

The committee members were Hon. Sadam Bello Sale, Hon. Musa Buaba, Hon. Shuaibu Adamu Haruna, Hon. Golkos Gaius Gaji, Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar, Hon. Muhammad Tahir and Hon. Adamu Sale Pata. Barr. Hauwa Abdullahi and Barr. Babadidi J. Mele served as secretaries to the committee. Commenting on the reported adoption, the Speaker of the House, Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo, said lawmakers unanimously supported the proposed legal framework, expressing confidence that the establishment of State Police would strengthen security across the country.

He commended members for their commitment and resilience in the discharge of their legislative responsibilities.