State Police: National Assembly Begins Process to Transmit Bill to Tinubu

* CNA says 28 state Assemblies complete approval Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The National Assembly has begun administrative processes to transmit the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police to President Bola Tinubu for assent, following its approval by 28 state Houses of Assembly. The development marks a significant step towards the proposed decentralisation of Nigeria’s policing system, after the number of approving state legislatures exceeded the constitutionally prescribed threshold of 24 states. The Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this Tuesday in a statement, confirming that his office had received and verified reports from 28 state Houses of Assembly indicating their approval of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, seeking to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters. Ogunlana explained that Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution requires the approval of not less than two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, equivalent to 24 states, before a constitutional alteration can proceed. With 28 state legislatures having endorsed the proposed amendment, the constitutional requirement has been satisfied, paving the way for the National Assembly to commence the process of transmitting the bill to the president. According to the statement, the bill was transmitted by the Clerk to the National Assembly to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for their consideration and approval, with a request that their decisions be communicated to the National Assembly within 30 days. Although the stipulated period expired on October 15, Ogunlana said his office would continue to receive reports from the state legislatures until the bill was transmitted for presidential assent. He said the National Assembly had undertaken the necessary administrative verification of the reports and accompanying votes and proceedings to establish their authenticity and ensure that the records accurately reflected the decisions taken by the respective state legislatures. The Clerk also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution did not expressly prescribe a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure applicable to ordinary bills. “In view of the approvals secured from the required number of state Houses of Assembly, the necessary administrative processes are being undertaken to facilitate the transmission of the Bill to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for assent, in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, (LFN) 2004,” he stated. The proposed establishment of state police has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s constitutional and security reform discussions, particularly amid persistent challenges posed by terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality across the country. Proponents of decentralised policing have argued that allowing state governments to establish and operate their own police services would strengthen local intelligence gathering, improve community policing and facilitate quicker responses to security threats. They have also maintained that the centralised policing structure has placed considerable pressure on the Nigeria Police Force, given the country’s size, population and diverse security challenges. However, the proposal has generated concerns over possible political interference and abuse of state police institutions by governors, particularly against political opponents and perceived critics. Other concerns relate to funding, operational independence, accountability, human rights protection and the need to establish clear constitutional boundaries between federal and state policing authorities. Consequently, the process of establishing state police is expected to require additional legislative and institutional arrangements to determine the operational framework, recruitment procedures, funding mechanisms and oversight responsibilities of the proposed services. The National Assembly, in the statement, described the approvals secured from the state legislatures as a significant step in the ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and deepen the country’s federal system. It also expressed appreciation to the state Houses of Assembly for their cooperation and timely response in considering the constitutional amendment. Ogunlana assured Nigerians that his office would continue to provide accurate and timely information on developments relating to the constitutional amendment process.