Constitutional threshold reached
Nigeria’s proposed state police system has moved closer to becoming a constitutional reality after 24 State Houses of Assembly approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill announced the development on October 23, confirming that the approvals met the constitutional requirement of at least two-thirds of the country’s 36 state assemblies.
The group, chaired by Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, also acknowledged the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both chambers. The announcement was reported by “The Guardian Nigeria”
What happens next?
The amendment can now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent, in accordance with Section 9 of the Constitution.
However, the approval by the state assemblies does not mean state police are already operational. The proposed framework still requires the remaining constitutional and legislative steps before it can be implemented.
The working group said draft legislation intended to establish the dual policing system was undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice. The drafts were expected to return by October 30 for final consideration before being presented to the President, according to an “official statement from the State House”
Why the reform matters
Supporters of state police argue that decentralising policing could help security agencies respond more closely to local threats and community needs. The proposal would introduce a dual system involving federal and state-level policing structures.
Its effectiveness will depend on how the eventual legislation defines the powers, funding, oversight, and accountability of state police forces. Those safeguards are important in a country where concerns about political interference, uneven state resources, and human rights protections remain central to policing debates.
The latest development marks significant progress towards the proposed reform, but the final legal framework and implementation arrangements are still to come.
