Only Four States Approve State Police Bill as Constitutional Amendment Faces Delay
By Fact Harbour News
Nigeria’s proposed transition towards a policing system that would allow states to establish their own police services is facing a slow legislative process, with only four state Houses of Assembly having so far approved the constitutional amendment required to move the reform forward.
The states that have confirmed their approval are Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers, according to checks reported on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The development comes after the National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16 for consideration and concurrence.
The proposed alteration seeks to establish a constitutional framework for the creation and operation of State Police Services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.
The National Assembly had asked the state legislatures to communicate their positions within 30 days of receiving the bill. However, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative target rather than a constitutional deadline.
The biggest hurdle is the constitutional requirement for widespread state concurrence. Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, an alteration of the Constitution requires approval from at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly.
With 36 states in the federation, this means 24 state legislatures must approve the proposed amendment. With only four currently confirmed, another 20 states would need to give their concurrence before the required threshold is reached.
Osun was among the first states to formally approve the proposal. Its House of Assembly considered the provisions clause by clause before giving its concurrence on September 22.
Oyo subsequently approved the bill following consideration by lawmakers. The Oyo Assembly passed the proposed constitutional amendment after clause-by-clause consideration at plenary.
In Edo State, lawmakers also backed the proposed alteration, with the Assembly directing that its resolution be communicated to the National Assembly.
Rivers became the fourth state confirmed to have approved the proposal when its House of Assembly endorsed the bill unanimously. All 25 members of the Rivers Assembly voted in favour of the proposed constitutional amendment during plenary on September 28.
Beyond the four states that have approved the bill, several other state legislatures are at different stages of the process.
In the South-West, Ondo and Ekiti have confirmed receipt of the proposal but had not concluded their consideration as of the latest checks. Ogun has reportedly constituted a committee to examine the bill.
Lagos has previously expressed support for the establishment of State Police and backed the idea in principle. However, the formal approval of the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly remained unclear in the latest assessment.
The situation is similar in several South-South states. Cross River has begun consideration of the bill, while Delta and Bayelsa had yet to formally approve it according to the latest nationwide review.
In the North, several assemblies have received the proposal but are yet to vote on it. Plateau has commenced the formal legislative process, while Bauchi has constituted a committee to examine the bill.
Other northern states, including Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, had received the proposal but had not yet given their formal concurrence. Some assemblies, including those in Kano, Kwara, Kebbi and Taraba, were reported to be awaiting official transmission of the document.
The South-East has also recorded limited formal action. Several assemblies in the region had yet to commence debate, although there has been political and legislative discussion about the potential benefits of decentralised policing.
The slow pace has renewed attention on the constitutional amendment process and the challenge of securing agreement across a large number of state legislatures.
The proposal for State Police has been debated in Nigeria for years, with supporters arguing that policing should be brought closer to communities because state governments and local authorities may have greater knowledge of security challenges within their territories.
At the same time, concerns have been raised over the possibility of political interference or abuse of State Police by state authorities. The proposed constitutional framework therefore includes provisions intended to establish the relationship between federal and state policing structures and set national standards.
It is also important to note that approval by the state Houses of Assembly would not immediately result in State Police operations across Nigeria. The constitutional amendment process must first be completed, after which states would still have to establish the necessary legal and administrative structures for their police services.
For now, Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers remain the four states confirmed to have approved the State Police constitutional amendment, leaving the proposal 20 state approvals short of the 24 required to meet the constitutional threshold.
The coming weeks will therefore be important as the remaining Houses of Assembly consider the proposal and communicate their positions to the National Assembly.
