Nigeria’s proposed state police system has moved closer to becoming a reality after 28 State Houses of Assembly approved the constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services, exceeding the minimum requirement of 24 states.
The National Assembly confirmed the development on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, saying it had received and verified the approval reports submitted by the state legislatures, paving the way for the proposed amendment to be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings had undergone administrative verification to establish their authenticity and confirm that they accurately reflected decisions taken by the respective assemblies.
Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, a proposed constitutional alteration must receive approval from at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, representing 24 states.
With 28 state legislatures now approving the proposal, the amendment has surpassed the constitutional threshold required for the process to advance.
Ogunlana explained that the National Assembly was undertaking the necessary administrative procedures to facilitate the transmission of the bill to Tinubu for assent in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The bill, formally known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.
The proposal had earlier secured approval from both chambers of the National Assembly, with the Senate passing it on June 24, 2026, and the House of Representatives following on July 23, 2026.
It was subsequently transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16 for consideration and approval. The state legislatures were initially requested to communicate their decisions within 30 days, a period that expired on October 15.
However, Ogunlana said his office would continue receiving approval reports from the remaining assemblies until the bill was transmitted for presidential assent.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has indicated that the National Assembly intends to complete the remaining processes and transmit the amendment to Tinubu before December 2026.
The proposed establishment of state police represents a major shift in Nigeria’s security architecture, which has traditionally operated through a centralised federal policing system.
Supporters of the reform argue that allowing states to establish and control their own police services would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable faster responses to security threats.
They also believe state police officers would be better positioned to understand local languages, communities and security challenges, particularly in areas facing kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and other criminal activities.
However, the proposal has also generated concerns about possible political interference by state governors, human rights abuses, inadequate funding and the potential use of state-controlled security agencies against political opponents.
Although the 28 approvals have cleared a major constitutional hurdle, state police have not yet been established. The proposed amendment must complete the remaining formalities and receive presidential assent before the constitutional changes can take effect.
The development nevertheless represents one of the most significant steps towards decentralising Nigeria’s policing system and giving state governments a constitutional role in managing internal security.
