Nigeria’s proposed State Police Amendment has reached a significant stage after at least 24 State Houses of Assembly reportedly approved the constitutional changes needed to establish state police services. Subsequent reports put the number at 25, exceeding the minimum threshold required under the 1999 Constitution.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced on Friday, October 23, that 24 of the country’s 36 state assemblies had approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026. He made the announcement in his capacity as chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill.
The approval represents a major step in the Federal Government’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing structure. The National Assembly had already passed the proposed constitutional amendment in both chambers before sending it to state legislatures for consideration.
Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration requires approval from at least two-thirds of all state Houses of Assembly. For Nigeria’s 36 states, that means at least 24 assemblies must support the proposal.
The latest approvals therefore meet the required threshold for the amendment to proceed to the next stage. However, the development does not mean that state police have started operating anywhere in the country.
The proposed reform would establish a dual policing arrangement, allowing federal and state police services to operate within a constitutional and legislative framework. Supporters argue that decentralising policing could help authorities respond more effectively to local security challenges, gather intelligence and improve cooperation with communities.
Draft National Policing Bill Awaits Further Review
Following the state assemblies’ approval, the amendment can return to the National Assembly for onward transmission to President Tinubu for assent, in line with the constitutional procedure outlined in Section 9.
Meanwhile, the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, is undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice. The Presidential Working Group said the documents were expected to return to the group on or before October 30, 2026, for final consideration before presentation to the President.
The proposed National Policing Bill is expected to provide the legal and operational framework for implementing the constitutional changes. It will need to establish clear rules for the organisation, administration and oversight of the proposed police services.
Questions surrounding funding, recruitment, training, accountability and operational independence will also require careful attention. These arrangements will be important in ensuring that state police services can perform their duties professionally and respect citizens’ fundamental rights.
Although the reform has attracted support from those who favour decentralised security administration, concerns remain about the potential misuse of state-controlled police forces. Critics have warned that political authorities could exert undue influence over local policing unless effective safeguards and independent oversight mechanisms are established.
The proposed framework must therefore balance the need for local security responses with consistent national standards and protections against abuse.
For now, the State Police Amendment has cleared an important constitutional hurdle, but further legal and legislative work remains. The Federal Government must complete the outstanding processes before states can establish and operate their own police services.
Until those steps are completed, Nigeria’s existing federal policing structure remains in place, and the approval of the amendment should not be mistaken for the immediate launch of state police.
