Thirteen State Houses of Assembly have approved the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria, as lawmakers race to meet the constitutional requirement for decentralising the country’s policing system.
Eight states Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Delta, Taraba, Cross River, Plateau and Enugu approved the bill on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, bringing the total number of approving assemblies to 13.
Meanwhile, Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara have reportedly transmitted their approvals to the National Assembly, according to the report.
The proposed amendment still requires approval from at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly before it can proceed through the remaining constitutional process.
Presidential panel submits policing bill for review
The development comes as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill completed its draft legislation and submitted it, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for review and validation.
The Chief of Staff to the President and chairman of the working group, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed the submission in a statement in Abuja.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, is expected to oversee the review to ensure that the proposed bills comply with legislative drafting standards and do not conflict with existing laws.
The ministry is expected to return the validated drafts to the working group on or before October 30. The group will then consider the documents before presenting them to President Bola Tinubu for further action.
The proposed National Policing Bill seeks to establish a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution requires a constitutional alteration to secure approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly 24 states before it can proceed to presidential assent.
The state police proposal is part of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which is undergoing consideration by state legislatures.
The proposal has gained renewed attention amid persistent security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
Supporters argue that state police would bring law enforcement closer to local communities, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to security threats.
However, critics have raised concerns about the possible abuse of state police by governors and other political officeholders.
In Enugu, lawmakers approved the proposed constitutional amendment during plenary, with Speaker Uche Ugwu announcing the resolution.
Ugwu said the decision reflected the Assembly’s support for the proposed reform and its potential to improve security across communities.
Delta State lawmakers also unanimously approved the amendment, with all 23 members present voting in favour. Speaker Emomotimi Dennis Guwor directed the Clerk of the House to communicate the decision to the National Assembly.
In Cross River, all 22 lawmakers present voted for the bill, while three members were absent. Speaker Elvert Ayambem said any state policing arrangement must operate within the rule of law, uphold accountability and respect citizens’ fundamental rights.
The Plateau State House of Assembly adopted the recommendations of its ad hoc committee on the proposed amendment, while Ogun lawmakers approved the relevant clauses following consideration of their committee’s report.
Taraba lawmakers also unanimously backed the proposal. Speaker John Kizito Bonzena said state police could strengthen crime prevention, improve cooperation among security agencies and create employment opportunities.
The approvals add to growing legislative support for decentralised policing, which has remained a subject of national debate for more than two decades.
Tinubu backs state police amid security concerns
President Bola Tinubu has adopted the establishment of state police as part of his proposed response to Nigeria’s security challenges.
The proposed arrangement is expected to allow state-level security services to respond to local threats while operating alongside the Federal Police Service.
However, the proposal must still pass through the required constitutional and legislative processes before state police can be formally established.
With only 13 assemblies reported to have approved the amendment so far, the proposal remains short of the 24-state threshold required for the constitutional process to advance.
