State Police Push Hits Milestone As 24 Assemblies Approve Alteration

​Nigeria’s path toward a decentralised security architecture has reached a crucial turning point, with 24 State Houses of Assembly endorsing the constitutional amendment to establish a dual policing system.

​The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, confirmed the milestone, noting that the tally comfortably clears the two-thirds majority requirement mandated for constitutional alterations under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

​A Legislative Milestone

​The approved legislation—formally titled the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026—provides the overarching legal framework required to split responsibilities between a federal force and independent state-level police services.

​With 24 out of the 36 state legislatures giving their assent, the amendment will now cycle back to the National Assembly for formal transmission to President Bola Tinubu for signature.

​The nationwide push gained significant momentum over the past month. Transmitted to the state assemblies on September 16 with a 30-day administrative window, the bill initially saw sluggish movement before a flurry of state-level approvals pushed it past the threshold.

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​Next Steps and Timelines

​Alongside the constitutional amendment, the Presidential Working Group is fast-tracking the companion National Policing Bill, 2026. Gbajabiamila confirmed that the draft legislation is currently undergoing final legislative drafting and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.

​The review is expected to conclude on or before October 30, 2026, paving the way for final consideration before it is formally presented to the President.

​Stakeholders and security analysts have largely welcomed the development, viewing state-level policing as an essential remedy to local security challenges and a boost to community intelligence-gathering across the country.