By Felix Umande

The push for state police in Nigeria has gained fresh momentum as Benue, Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara, Cross River, Enugu and Nasarawa State Houses of Assembly have approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for the establishment of State Police Services.

They join Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara which had earlier endorsed the constitutional amendment required to institute state policing.

The proposed alteration bill amends Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to replace the single Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services as part of efforts to address the country’s security challenges.

The bill was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, for consideration. Under Section 9 of the Constitution, an amendment requires approval of at least two-thirds of the state assemblies, representing 24 states.

In Benue, the House adopted the bill during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga. The executive bill was presented by Majority Leader Hon. Peter Bemdoo Ipusu, who urged accelerated consideration.

Ipusu said state policing would improve grassroots intelligence gathering, quicker response to emergencies, address peculiar threats such as rural banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and urban crime, and allow the federal police to focus on national security. He also cited employment generation and stronger accountability.

Speaker Emberga directed the Clerk to transmit the decision to the National Assembly.

In Ogun, the Assembly passed resolution H.R. No. 194/OG/2025-2026 on Tuesday following a report by the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitutional Review chaired by former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo. Members voted in favour of all 26 clauses. Speaker Daisi Elemide described the decision as historic and said a clean copy would be transmitted to the National Assembly.

In Delta, all 23 members present at plenary on Tuesday unanimously approved the bill. Majority Leader Emeka Nwaobi said the dual policing system would guarantee security of lives and property and address insecurity at local levels.

Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, who is also Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, said it was a significant step towards responsive community policing.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill said it has submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.

In a statement Tuesday, Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney-General of the Federation.

He said the ministry’s review will ensure conformity with legislative drafting standards and avoid conflict with existing laws, and is expected to return validated drafts on or before October 30, 2026, for final consideration before presentation to President Bola Tinubu.

Gbajabiamila said the bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure. President Tinubu had inaugurated the seven-member Working Group on July 7 to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft.

By Felix Umande

The current state of Ugbema Roundabout, a major junction in Benue State connecting many neighbouring states, has become a source of pain and anger for residents who say the situation deserves urgent attention.

Ugbema Roundabout is an important junction through which thousands of people, vehicles and goods pass daily on their way to different locations.

For travellers, commercial drivers, farmers, traders and residents, it serves as a critical passage linking different communities and routes.

However, the condition of the junction has deteriorated badly, with road users describing it as more of a death trap than a major gateway.

What worries residents the more is that even as the road lies abandoned, politicians have found it useful as a forest of campaign billboards.

Dr. Manasseh Ortoho described the road as a death trap. In his words:

“Ugbema connects communities and travellers to several states, including Taraba, Ebonyi, Cross River and Adamawa, making it a critical economic and transportation corridor. Yet, this federal road has suffered decades of neglect. From Yandev through Ipav, Tyowanye and Abwa, down to Ugbema Junction, the condition has become a serious threat to motorists, traders, commuters and residents.

“Political influence should translate into meaningful development for the people. Our roads should not become death traps while we continue to celebrate the political strength of our people. Ugbema Junction deserves attention. Yandev–Ipav–Tyowanye–Abwa–Ugbema deserves reconstruction,” Ortoho added.

Another resident, Mr. Atsu, said what should be a symbol of movement, commerce and connection has become a symbol of neglect, suffering and shame.

He said Ugbema Junction is not just another road but a major gateway linking Ugbema with Katsina-Ala, Zaki-Biam, Taraba state and beyond. It also connects Cross River, Abuja, Makurdi, Jato-Aka and several other Benue towns and villages and beyond.

“Every single day, thousands of people pass through here. Farmers transporting yams, cassava and rice to the market, students going to school, sick people being rushed to the hospital, traders, business owners, civil servants and travellers. When this junction fails, the entire economic chain of this part of Benue suffers,” he said.

According to residents, instead of a motorable roundabout, people now face massive potholes filled with dirty, stagnant water, vehicles breaking down daily, goods getting spoilt, frequent accidents and pedestrians wading through mud to cross.

Another resident, Mr. Thadeus, said the Ugbema–Adikpo Road is an important transport link for residents, farmers and traders and called on the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works and relevant road maintenance agencies, to assess and prioritise its rehabilitation.

A popular Benue activist, Mr. Ukan Kurugh, recounted a harrowing experience.

“I got stuck for almost five hours on my way to Cross River State through the Ihugh road. The experience was really frustrating and heartbreaking. How long will road users continue to suffer this much just to travel from one place to another? These roads are not just roads; they are lifelines connecting communities, businesses and families,” he said.

Residents are appealing to the Federal Government, Federal Ministry of Works, Benue State Government and relevant agencies to provide proper drainage, grading and reconstruction of the roundabout, insisting that good roads are not a luxury but essential infrastructure for development.

By Philip Nyam

The House of Representatives at plenary on Wednesday passed through second reading a bill seeking for an Act to establish a comprehensive framework for deceased organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Nigeria, while protecting donors, recipients, families and the integrity of the transplantation system.

The proposed legislation titled, “Bill for an Act to Establish a National Deceased Organ and Tissue Donation Program for the Federal Republic of Nigeria; to Provide for the Identification, Referral, Authorisation, Recovery, Preservation, Allocation and Transplantation of Organs and Tissues From Deceased Persons; to Establish the National Organ Donation and Transplantation Authority; to Provide for the Determination of Death for the Purposes of Deceased Donation; to Promote Equitable Access to Transplantation; to Prohibit Organ Trafficking, Transplant Tourism and Commercial Dealings in Human Organs and Tissues; and for Related Matters,” was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and six other lawmakers.

Leading the debate on its general principles, one of the co-sponsors Hon. Patrick Umoh noted that organ and tissue donation represents one of medicine’s most profound possibilities, that the end of one life may offer the chance of renewed life to another.

He said this possibility carries significant legal, ethical and medical responsibilities, hence Nigeria’s transplantation system requires a clear and coordinated legal framework governing consent, death determination, organ recovery, allocation, transplantation, tissue banking, safety and oversight.

According to him, in the absence of such a framework, vulnerable persons may be exposed to exploitation, while public confidence in donation may be undermined.

He therefore said that the Bill provides that framework by establishing appropriate regulatory structures, ensuring equitable access, strengthening patient safety and expressly prohibiting the commercialisation and trafficking of human organs and tissues.

He explained that recovered organs are to be allocated through a National Organ Allocation and matching system and the national waiting list, stressing that allocation cannot be based on wealth, political influence or other non-medical considerations; inability to pay alone cannot remove a person from the waiting list.

The lawmaker said, “This Bill which seeks to establish a national framework for deceased organ and tissue donation and transplantation that is ethical, equitable, safe and transparent, while preventing organ trafficking and commercialisation contains 172 Clauses divided into 16 Parts and 3 Schedules. Creates a nationwide legal and regulatory structure covering the full deceased-donation pathway—from donor identification through transplantation.
Dedicated Authority: Establishes a National Deceased Donation and Transplantation Authority as the principal national regulator and coordinator, with headquarters in Abuja and progressive zonal structures.

“Explicit consent: Donation is voluntary and requires lawful authorization. The Bill expressly rejects presumed consent/opt-out donation. First-person choice: An adult with legal capacity may authorize donation, and a valid First-Person Authorization remains effective despite family objection.
Binding refusal: A valid refusal is legally binding and must prevent recovery contrary to that refusal. Donation cannot be the reason for declaring death. Death determination is independent of transplantation, with independent confirmation requirements.

“The Bill provides for accreditation, licencing, donor audits, biovigilance, adverse-event reporting, traceability and safety alerts. Organ trafficking, transplant tourism, brokerage and commercial dealings are expressly prohibited and subject to enforcement. Donor families are to receive information, counselling and appropriate bereavement, psychological and requested spiritual/religious support. The Authority must publish annual reports and national performance indicators while protecting confidentiality and personal data.”

The Bill was voted on, passed and referred to relevant committee for further legislative action.