22 Lawmakers Vote Yes As C’River Assembly Passes State Police Bill

The Cross River State House of Assembly CRHA on Tuesday  passed the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services.

The bill scaled through with 22 of the 25 members voting in favour, while three members were absent from plenary session held today.

The passage followed extensive deliberations on the need for a decentralised policing system to strengthen security, improve intelligence gathering and enhance protection of lives and property across the state.

Debating the bill, the Leader of the House and member representing Odukpani, Rt. Hon. Francis Asuquo, said decentralised policing would bring security closer to the people, while Yala I lawmaker, Hon. Brian Odey, called for effective coordination between state and federal agencies to complement existing structures.

The Deputy Leader and member representing Abi, Rt. Hon. Davies Eta, stressed the need for safeguards, accountability and professionalism, insisting that the proposed state police must operate within the confines of the law.

Speaker Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem said the vote shows the Assembly’s commitment to reforms. “By this vote, the 10th Assembly has demonstrated its support for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which seeks to establish a constitutional framework for State Police Services,” he said, noting that the bill contains 26 clauses proposing 25 alterations to sections of the principal Act.