State Police Bill Clears Major Hurdle As 28 States Back Constitutional Amendment
The National Assembly has confirmed that 28 State Houses of Assembly have approved the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police across Nigeria.
The bill is now set to be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent, marking a major step towards the decentralisation of the country’s policing system.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the National Assembly received official reports confirming the approval of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill by 28 state legislatures.
The proposed amendment seeks to provide the constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.
The bill was forwarded to all 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.
The state legislatures were initially given 30 days to communicate their decisions to the National Assembly.
Although the deadline expired on October 15, the Clerk said his office would continue receiving reports from state assemblies until the bill is transmitted for presidential assent.
Ogunlana explained that the 28 approvals exceeded the constitutional requirement of at least two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires approval from at least 24 state legislatures.
The National Assembly also disclosed that it had completed administrative verification of the reports, including the relevant votes and proceedings, to establish their authenticity.
It further clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure for ordinary legislation.
With the required number of state approvals secured, the National Assembly said arrangements were underway to transmit the bill to President Tinubu for assent.
The transmission will be carried out in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, Cap A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The proposed establishment of state police has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s security and constitutional reform debates, particularly amid persistent insecurity, kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
Supporters of decentralised policing argue that state governments should have greater responsibility for addressing security challenges within their jurisdictions.
However, concerns have also been raised over possible political interference, abuse of power and the protection of fundamental human rights under state-controlled police structures.
The National Assembly described the 28-state approval as a significant development in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and deepen the country’s federal system.
It also commended the state legislatures for their cooperation and timely responses, promising to provide further updates on the constitutional amendment process.
