Ayomide Awe
Twenty-four State Houses of Assembly have approved a proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria, bringing the country closer to adopting a dual policing system amid persistent security challenges.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila.
According to a statement issued by the working group, the approval secured from 24 of the 36 state assemblies meets the two-thirds threshold required under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution for constitutional alteration.
The approval marks a significant step in the legislative process towards establishing a policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and state police services.
The working group commended the state legislatures for approving the amendment and praised the National Assembly for passing the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, through both chambers.
It said the amendment could now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Tinubu for assent, in line with the constitutional procedure.
The proposed amendment is designed to provide constitutional backing for the policing framework outlined in the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, prepared by the presidential working group.
The group, however, disclosed that the draft bills were undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
It said the bills were expected to be returned on or before Friday, October 30, 2026, after which the working group would give them final consideration before presenting them to the President.
The development follows the transmission of the constitutional amendment to the 36 state assemblies by the National Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.
The state legislatures were given an administrative timeframe of 30 days to communicate their decisions.
The proposed dual policing arrangement is expected to give state governments a constitutionally recognised policing structure alongside the federal police, although its eventual implementation will depend on the final legislative and executive processes.
The working group urged stakeholders to support what it described as a smooth transition to the proposed system, saying the ultimate objective was to improve public safety across the country.
Full list of 24 states that approved state police amendment
The 24 State Houses of Assembly that have approved the proposed constitutional 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
Kaduna
Clarify the constitutional process
Strengthen the state list presentation
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