Nigeria’s proposed establishment of state police has moved closer to becoming law after 28 State Houses of Assembly approved the constitutional amendment seeking to introduce State Police Services across the country.
The National Assembly confirmed the development through a statement by its Clerk, Kamoru Ogunlana, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, saying the approvals had been received and verified.
The 28 approvals exceed the constitutional requirement of at least 24 state assemblies, representing two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states, as stipulated under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to Ogunlana, the proposed Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill was transmitted to all 36 state assemblies on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.
Although the initial deadline for the state legislatures to communicate their decisions was October 15, the Clerk said his office continued receiving reports beyond that date to complete the process.
He explained that the National Assembly had also carried out administrative verification of the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings to confirm that the approvals accurately reflected the decisions of the respective state legislatures.
Following the successful verification, the National Assembly said it was undertaking the necessary administrative processes to transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The 28 states that have approved the proposed amendment include Adamawa, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Abia, Yobe, Kaduna, Lagos, Kano, Sokoto and Ebonyi.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under the Nigeria Police Force, with operational control vested in the Federal Government.
Supporters of state police argue that decentralising the system would strengthen intelligence gathering, improve community policing and enable states to respond more effectively to security threats such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
However, concerns have also been raised about possible political interference, inadequate funding and the risk of state governors using local police formations against political opponents or other perceived critics.
The proposed amendment is expected to provide the constitutional framework for establishing state police services and defining their relationship with the existing federal police structure.
While the approval by 28 state assemblies represents a major step in the process, the proposed reform is not yet law. Presidential assent and the completion of the applicable constitutional amendment procedure remain necessary before the new policing structure can be implemented.