State Police Plan Clears Key Hurdle as 24 State Assemblies Approve Constitutional Amendment
The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for a dual policing system, has secured approval from 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutionally required two-thirds threshold, the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill said on Friday.
The chairman of the group and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this in a statement, describing the approvals as a significant step towards establishing state police in Nigeria.
“The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill notes with satisfaction that the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for a dual policing system, has been approved by 24 State Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutional threshold of two-thirds of the 36 states,” the statement said.
“The Working Group commends the State Houses of Assembly for their decisive action on this reform of national importance and appreciates the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both chambers.”
The group said that, in line with Section 9 of the Constitution, the amendment could now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The approval is expected to provide constitutional backing for the policing framework that the group’s draft National Policing Bill, 2026, is designed to implement.
The group added that its work remained on track, with the draft bills undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice. The ministry is expected to return the bills on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.
“Thereafter, the Group will give them final consideration before presenting them to Mr President,” the statement added.
The working group urged stakeholders to support the transition to a dual policing system, which it said would improve public safety.
“The Working Group urges all stakeholders to support a smooth transition to a dual policing system that makes Nigerians safer,” it said.
On October 19, the Presidential Working Group announced that it had completed the drafting stage of its assignment and submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The review is intended to ensure that the bills comply with legislative drafting standards and conventions and do not conflict with existing laws.
In an earlier statement, Gbajabiamila said the ministry was expected to return the validated draft bills to the working group by October 30.
“The Ministry of Justice is expected to return the validated draft bills to the Working Group on or before Friday, 30th October 2026. The Working Group will then give the validated bills final consideration before presenting them to Mr President, thereby concluding its mandate,” he said.
The proposed National Policing Bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services, with the aim of improving security at the grassroots.
