The amendment aimed at establishing State Police in Nigeria has successfully passed a crucial legislative hurdle, with 25 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly giving their approval. This decision meets the two-thirds threshold necessary for the amendment to progress further.
However, 11 states including Lagos, Ondo, Ebonyi, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, and Sokoto have yet to approve the amendment.
With the required constitutional support in place, the amendment will be sent back to the National Assembly for approval before it is forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for his assent.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and head of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, announced this development in a statement. He praised the State Assemblies for their swift action and acknowledged the National Assembly for passing the amendment.
This legislative progress coincides with the ongoing review of the National Policing Bill and 29 related amendment bills at the Federal Ministry of Justice. Gbajabiamila emphasized that the approval has provided crucial backing for the proposed dual policing framework envisioned in the draft National Policing Bill, 2026.
He stated, “The approval grants constitutional support to the policing framework that our draft National Policing Bill is designed to implement.” The group remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition to a dual policing system aimed at enhancing public safety in Nigeria.
As the process evolves, the Ministry of Justice is expected to validate and return the amended bills by October 30, 2026, after which the Working Group will finalize considerations before presenting them to the President.
Gbajabiamila highlighted the importance of the proposed legislation, naming it as one of the most significant bills of the current administration. He expressed confidence in securing the necessary approvals from all states, reflecting a national consensus on the amendment’s purpose.
President Tinubu inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill earlier this year to establish the legal framework for implementing state police across the nation.
