The National Assembly is getting ready to forward the State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu for his signature after securing the required approvals from state legislatures across the country.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, announced on Tuesday that 28 state Houses of Assembly had backed the proposed constitutional alteration. According to Punch, the number of endorsements surpasses the 24 states required to meet the two-thirds threshold under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
Ogunlana confirmed that his office completed administrative checks on the official reports and proceedings submitted by the assemblies to confirm their validity. He noted that officials are now wrapping up procedural steps under the Acts Authentication Act so the document can head directly to the presidency.
The draft legislation seeks to alter Nigeria's 1999 Constitution to allow state governments to establish and manage their own police services. Lawmakers originally distributed the proposal to the 36 state assemblies on September 16, 2026, setting an initial 30-day window that ended on October 15, though reports continued to come in afterwards.
Addressing legislative procedure, Ogunlana pointed out that Section 9 of the Constitution does not mandate a third reading for constitutional alteration bills, which separates them from ordinary legislative bills. He praised the state lawmakers for their handling of the proposal, noting that the reform is meant to strengthen the country's security architecture.
Nigeria has long maintained a centralised policing framework under the command of the Nigeria Police Force. Backers of decentralised policing believe that regional forces will respond faster to local security challenges such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and communal clashes, while also improving intelligence gathering.
Critics and sceptics, however, have frequently highlighted risks surrounding potential political intimidation by state governors, insufficient funding, and human rights issues.
Once President Tinubu receives the bill, the final step will rest on his executive assent to make the constitutional amendment official law.
