28 State Assemblies Approve State Police Bill, Awaits Tinubu’s Assent

By Adedapo Adesanya

The push to establish state police in Nigeria has advanced, with 28 State Houses of Assembly approving the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to allow states to create and operate their police forces.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed the development in a statement, saying the approvals exceeded the two-thirds threshold required under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution for constitutional amendments.

According to Mr Ogunlana, the Bill was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration, with a 30-day deadline that expired on October 15.

He said his office would continue to receive reports from state legislatures until the Bill is transmitted for presidential assent.

The Clerk also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure for ordinary legislation.

With the required approvals secured, the National Assembly is undertaking administrative processes to transmit the Bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent in line with the Acts Authentication Act.

The development marks a major step towards restructuring Nigeria’s policing system, potentially allowing individual states to establish and operate their own police forces.

He did not reveal the 28 states that approved the establishment of state police, which had met fierce resistance over the years.

The bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

The bill, when signed and gazetted, will transform policing in the country and boost security, as it allows the sub-nationals to create their own policing system.

The bill provides that the Federal Police Service will be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, while the State Police Service will be led by a Commissioner of Police, appointed by the state governor, subject to confirmation by the state’s House of Assembly.

To prevent the misuse of state police against political opponents or critics, ensuring that any action taken against such individuals or groups complies with due process and existing laws, the bill prohibits the Commissioner of Police of a state from arresting, detaining, investigating, or deploying force against any critic of the state governor, except in accordance with the law.

After the clauses of the bill were considered at the Committee of the Whole, the bill was passed and will be transmitted to the President for assent into law.