State police bill
The latest approvals came from Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara and Adamawa states, joining Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara, which had earlier endorsed the proposal.
The development coincided with the submission of the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills by the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative review.
The working group, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, submitted the documents on Monday, October 19, according to an official statement issued on October 20.
The proposed legislation seeks to replace Nigeria’s exclusively federal constitutional policing structure with a system comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
However, state police have not yet been established by law. The constitutional amendment still requires approval from at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, alongside completion of the remaining legislative procedures.
Five More States Approve State Police Bill
States approved
10
Required approvals
24
More needed
14
10 of the 24 state approvals needed, based on reported resolutions as of October 21, 2026.
The latest decisions bring the number of supporting assemblies to 10, with 26 states yet to be reported as having approved the amendment.
The constitutional amendment was forwarded to state legislatures on September 16, 2026, following its passage by the National Assembly.
The proposal seeks to alter Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently provides for the Nigeria Police Force.
Under the proposed arrangement, individual states would be constitutionally permitted to establish their own police services within a national legal framework.
Supporters argue that such a system could improve local intelligence gathering, reduce response times and strengthen the capacity of security agencies to confront kidnapping, banditry and other offences.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about possible political interference, inadequate funding and the risk of state police being used against political opponents.
The debate therefore extends beyond creating additional police formations to questions about accountability, command structures and operational independence.
Ogun Assembly Unanimously Supports Constitutional Amendment
The Ogun State House of Assembly approved the proposal following consideration of a report presented by its Ad-hoc Committee on Constitutional Review.
The committee, chaired by former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo, examined 26 clauses and related constitutional amendments.
Lawmakers subsequently voted in favour of the proposed changes during plenary.
Speaker Daisi Elemide described the resolution as an important step towards strengthening security and protecting lives and property.
He said bringing policing closer to communities could improve public safety and contribute to the state’s social and economic development.
Following the vote, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Ahmed Olayiwola, to communicate the assembly’s decision to the National Assembly.
The approval adds Ogun to the growing number of states supporting a decentralised policing system.
Plateau Assembly Backs Local Policing Framework
The Plateau State House of Assembly also endorsed the constitutional amendment after considering the recommendations of its ad-hoc committee.
The committee’s chairman, Professor Theodore Maiyaki, presented the report during plenary presided over by Speaker Naanlong Daniel.
According to the assembly, the amendment could help address prevailing security challenges and the shortage of personnel within the existing police structure.
The committee also highlighted the importance of incorporating human rights safeguards, operational standards and accountability mechanisms into the proposed framework.
Lawmakers subsequently adopted the committee’s recommendations.
The approval is particularly significant given the continuing debate about how policing arrangements can respond to security threats affecting local communities.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of any future state police service will depend on its legal powers, resources, training and safeguards against abuse.
FG Panel Submits National Policing Bill and 29 Related Amendments
The Federal Government has simultaneously advanced a separate but related legislative process.
In a statement published by the State House on October 20, Gbajabiamila confirmed that the Presidential Working Group had completed the drafting stage of its assignment.
The group submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, together with 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on October 19.
The documents are undergoing legislative drafting review to ensure consistency with existing laws and accepted legislative standards.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Justice is expected to return the validated drafts by Friday, October 30, 2026.
The working group will then give the documents final consideration before presenting them to President Bola Tinubu.
The proposed legislation is intended to provide the detailed legal arrangements needed to support both federal and state policing institutions.
The presidential working group was inaugurated on July 7, 2026, with its steering committee commencing work in August
Kebbi Assembly Begins Consideration of State Police Proposal
While 10 assemblies have reportedly approved the amendment, other states are still examining the legislation.
In Kebbi State, lawmakers received the proposed constitutional amendment and referred it to the House Committee on Internal Security for further deliberation.
The communication from the National Assembly requested that the state legislature consider the bill and communicate its decision promptly.
The Kebbi Assembly has not yet been reported as having approved the proposal.
The distinction between receiving a bill, considering it in committee and formally passing a resolution is important when counting the states that have endorsed the amendment.
https://ogelenews.ng/the-move-to-establish-state-police-in-nigeria-has-r…
How Many States Must Approve State Police?
Under Section 9 of Nigeria’s Constitution, constitutional alterations of this nature require approval by at least two-thirds of the country’s 36 State Houses of Assembly.
That means 24 states must support the proposal before the constitutional amendment process can be completed.
Based on the latest reported approvals, 10 states have endorsed the bill, leaving another 14 approvals necessary to reach the required threshold.
The approving states are:
| Newly approved | Previously approved |
|---|---|
| Ogun | Edo |
| Delta | Osun |
| Plateau | Oyo |
| Kwara | Rivers |
| Adamawa | Zamfara |
These approvals concern the proposed constitutional amendment. They do not mean the states have already established operational police services.
What Will Change Under State Police?
Nigeria currently operates a constitutionally established national police force, with state governments playing roles in security coordination but without independent state police services of the kind now being proposed.
The amendment would create the constitutional basis for federal and state policing institutions.
Under such a system, the allocation of responsibilities between federal and state authorities would become particularly important.
The supporting legislation would need to define matters such as recruitment, training, funding, operational jurisdiction, discipline and cooperation between police services.
The proposed National Policing Bill is intended to provide part of that legal framework.
However, the full validated text of the draft legislation has not yet been publicly established in the official announcement reviewed.
It would therefore be premature to describe specific recruitment conditions, command appointments or operational powers as settled provisions of the future law.
Supporters and Critics Raise Security and Accountability Questions
Supporters of state policing argue that officers recruited and deployed closer to communities could develop stronger local intelligence networks and respond more effectively to threats.
They contend that a decentralised structure could help address policing manpower shortages and improve coordination with local institutions.
However, concerns have also been raised about the potential misuse of state police by political authorities, particularly in disputes involving political opponents, civil liberties and local elections.
There are additional questions about whether all state governments would have sufficient financial resources to maintain professional police services.
Safeguards relating to independent oversight, disciplinary procedures, protection of fundamental rights and federal-state cooperation will therefore be central to the legislative debate.
Neither the approval of a constitutional amendment nor the creation of a new police institution would, on its own, guarantee improvements in security.
Operational performance would also depend on training, funding, supervision and public accountability.
What Happens Next in the State Police Legislative Process?
The next major development is expected from the Federal Ministry of Justice, which has been given until October 30 to complete its review of the National Policing Bill and associated amendments.
After receiving the validated documents, the Presidential Working Group is expected to conduct its final consideration and submit the package to President Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the remaining State Houses of Assembly will continue considering the constitutional amendment already passed by the National Assembly.
Both processes are related, but they are not identical. The state assemblies are considering the constitutional basis for state policing, while the working group’s documents are intended to provide the accompanying legislative framework.
As of October 21, 2026, the proposal has received reported approval from 10 state assemblies, meaning the required threshold has not yet been reached.
The latest development marks progress in the constitutional reform process, but additional legislative action remains necessary before state police services can lawfully begin operating across Nigeria.
