The National Assembly has confirmed that 28 State Houses of Assembly have approved the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, clearing the way for its transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The development was announced on Tuesday in a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, who said the approvals had been received and verified, exceeding the constitutional requirement of 24 states, representing two-thirds of the 36 states.
TheFact Daily notes that the proposed amendment, known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services.
It forms part of ongoing efforts to decentralise policing, strengthen security at the state level and address growing concerns over insecurity across the country.
Under Section 9 of the Constitution, an amendment requires approval by at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly after securing the necessary support at the National Assembly.
According to Ogunlana, the bill was transmitted to the 36 state legislatures on September 16, 2026, with a 30-day deadline for their decisions to be communicated to the National Assembly. Although the deadline expired on October 15, he said his office would continue to receive reports until the bill is transmitted for presidential assent.
He added that the National Assembly had completed administrative verification of the reports, including the accompanying votes and proceedings, to authenticate the decisions of the respective state legislatures.
The Clerk also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not expressly require a Third Reading for a constitutional alteration bill, unlike the procedure for ordinary legislation.
With the required threshold secured, Ogunlana said the necessary administrative processes were underway to transmit the bill to President Tinubu for assent in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The National Assembly commended the State Houses of Assembly for their cooperation, describing the development as a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and deepening its federal system.
