State police bill to commence last lap in NASS

As 25 states pass bill

Tinubu to assent constitution amendment bill after ratification by Senate, Reps — Dep speaker

NASS to pass National Police bill to state operational framework

Ondo Assembly passes bill for establishment of state police

THE state police bill is set to commence its final leg in the National Assembly following the passage of the constitutional amendment clauses by 25 states Houses of Assemblies as of last weekend.

Deputy spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon Phillip Agbese, who confirmed the development on Monday in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune said that President Bola Tinubu will soon assent to the constitution amendment bill after the ratification of the remittances from the state assemblies.

Honourable Agbese, disclosed that the National Assembly had commenced the process of receiving and collating the resolutions from the state legislatures.

He said the approval by the required number of state assemblies represented a significant milestone in the constitutional amendment process, adding that the National Assembly would proceed with the next stage once the Clerk to the National Assembly had authenticated the resolutions.

“Now that the required two-thirds of State Houses of Assembly have approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, the National Assembly is in the process of receiving and collating the formal resolutions from the states,” he said.

He added that the bill would be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent once the constitutional requirement had been formally confirmed.

“Once the Clerk to the National Assembly authenticates that the constitutional threshold has been duly met, the Bill will be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent in line with Section 9 of the Constitution,” Hon. Agbese stated.

The 25 states that have so far endorsed the legislative framework are Adamawa, Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara, Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Zamfara, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba, Yobe and Kebbi.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, an amendment requires the support of at least two-thirds of the members of each chamber of the National Assembly and approval through resolutions of the Houses of Assembly of not fewer than two-thirds (24 of the 36 states).

Hon. Agbese described the development as a major step towards restructuring Nigeria’s policing architecture, which has been dominated by the Nigeria Police Force under the Federal Government.

“This is a critical and irreversible step forward,” he said, stressing that the proposed reform was intended to bring policing closer to communities and improve responses to security threats.

He, however, noted that the constitutional amendment was only one part of the process, as the Presidential Working Group was continuing work on the accompanying National Policing Bill, which would establish the operational framework for the proposed dual policing system.

“Alongside this, the Presidential Working Group continues its work on the accompanying National Policing Bill, which will provide the detailed operational framework, standards, and safeguards for the dual policing system,” the Deputy Spokesman said.

Hon. Agbese reaffirmed the commitment of the House leadership to completing the reform process, expressing optimism that the proposed arrangement would strengthen community-based security and make policing more responsive to the needs of Nigerians.

“We remain committed to seeing this reform completed so that Nigerians can begin to enjoy the benefits of more responsive, community-based policing,” he added.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, also known as the State Police Establishment Bill, originated as an Executive Bill as part of efforts to address the country’s persistent security challenges and improve the effectiveness of law enforcement.

The National Assembly transmitted the bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, through the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, following its passage by both chambers. The transmission was carried out pursuant to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution and on the directive of the National Assembly leadership.

In a statement announcing the transmission, Barrister Ogunlana said the State Police Establishment Bill was the only constitutional alteration bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly in the ongoing exercise at the time.

He explained that the state legislatures had been requested to consider the bill in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly after concluding deliberations.

The CNA also indicated that the state assemblies had been given a 30-day administrative window to respond, clarifying that the period was not a constitutional deadline because the Constitution did not prescribe a specific timeframe for the submission of their resolutions.

The Senate passed the executive version of the bill on June 24, 2026, a day after receiving it, while the House of Representatives passed its version on June 11 before rescinding that earlier decision and adopting the executive version on July 23, 2026.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State House of Assembly on Monday passed the Bill seeking to establish state police in the country.

The bill scaled second and third readings during plenary, with all lawmakers present supporting its passage.

Moving the motion, the House Leader, Olatunji Oshati, said the lawmakers had carefully considered the implications of the proposed amendment, noting that state police would help address the country’s security challenges.

The motion was seconded by Allen Oluwatoyin, representing Ese-Odo Constituency.

The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, described the proposed establishment of state police as long overdue, saying it would enable security agencies to respond more swiftly to crime and other security threats.

He added that decentralised policing would strengthen intelligence gathering, promote proactive security measures and help reduce criminal activities.

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Oladiji directed the Clerk of the House to transmit the document, alongside the Assembly’s observations, to the National Assembly.

The passage comes amid growing support for the proposed constitutional amendment, which seeks to introduce a dual policing system in Nigeria.

The proposed amendment had secured the approval of 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, meeting the two-thirds threshold required for constitutional alteration.