24 State Assemblies Approve State Police Constitutional Amendment

Abuja, 24 October 2026

Twenty four State Houses of Assembly have approved the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which seeks to establish a dual policing system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services. The approvals meet the constitutional requirement of support from two thirds of the thirty six states under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Friday. The group noted with satisfaction that the bill has secured the necessary endorsements, allowing the amendment process to advance. It can now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The Senate passed the bill on 24 June 2026, followed by the House of Representatives on 23 July 2026. The National Assembly subsequently transmitted the proposal to all thirty six state legislatures on 16 September 2026 for consideration and approval.

The states that have approved the amendment are 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 and Kaduna.

Twelve states have not yet completed or publicly confirmed their approval. These are Lagos, Ondo, Ebonyi, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto and, in some reports, Gombe. While the constitutional threshold has already been met, further approvals from these states would strengthen the nationwide consensus.

The proposed amendment replaces the existing single Nigeria Police Force with a dual structure. State governments would be empowered to establish their own police services within a national legal and regulatory framework, while the federal force retains overall responsibility for certain national functions.

Gbajabiamila stated that the approvals provide the constitutional foundation required for the reform. He commended the state assemblies for their decisive action and acknowledged the National Assembly for securing passage in both chambers. The working group also indicated that a separate draft National Policing Bill, together with related consequential amendments, is undergoing review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice. The ministry is expected to return the validated drafts on or before 30 October 2026.

Constitutional approval alone does not immediately create operational state police. Additional legislation, regulatory frameworks and implementation measures will be required before any state police services can begin operations. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu has suggested that the dual system could take effect before the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2027, although official timelines remain subject to the remaining legislative and administrative processes.

Bu John James