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…The National Assembly forwards the proposed constitutional amendment to the state legislators
… Approval from 24 states is needed as Nigeria moves towards decentralized policing
Daud Olatunji
The National Assembly has forwarded the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026 that seeks to establish state police services to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, setting the stage for a new round of legislative scrutiny that could determine the future of policing in Nigeria.
The broadcast, made on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, followed a directive from the leadership of the federal legislature.
State legislatures were directed to consider the proposed constitutional amendment in accordance with their respective legislative procedures and to communicate their resolutions to the National Assembly within 30 days of receipt of the bill.
However, Ogunlana clarified that the 30-day period is an administrative deadline and not a constitutional deadline.
He explained that the 1999 Constitution does not prescribe a specific period within which the state Houses of Assembly must respond to constitutional amendment bills.
The development represents an important step in the sustained effort to decentralize Nigeria’s policing architecture and introduce a system in which state and federal police services operate within defined constitutional and legal boundaries.
The immediate constitutional hurdle is the requirement of approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
Under Article 9 of the 1999 Constitution, no less than two-thirds of state legislatures must approve a constitutional amendment before the amendment process can advance.
As a result, at least 24 state Houses of Assembly must approve the proposal.
The requirement places state legislatures at the center of the final phase of the State Police debate, with each Assembly expected to independently deliberate on the proposal before communicating its position to the National Assembly.
Ogunlana said the National Assembly recognized the constitutional responsibility and independence of state legislatures.
He called on legislators to consider the bill in line with their respective legislative procedures and forward their resolutions after concluding their deliberations.
According to him, the 30-day administrative deadline was intended to facilitate an orderly, coordinated and timely conclusion of the constitutional amendment process.
He added that the National Assembly will take the next necessary steps after receiving the resolutions of the various state Houses of Assembly.
The proposed amendment seeks to establish a dual police structure comprising the federal police service and the state police services.
Under the proposed framework, individual states would be empowered to establish their own police services through laws passed by their respective Houses of Assembly.
State police services would be responsible for enforcing state laws, maintaining public safety and order, preventing and detecting crimes within their jurisdictions, and protecting lives and property.
The Federal Police Service, however, would retain responsibility for federal police functions.
It would also continue to police a state until the state police service established by that state becomes operational.
The proposed agreement therefore aims to create a framework in which state law enforcement authorities can respond to local security challenges while the Federal Police Service continues to handle matters within its constitutional jurisdiction.
The proposed framework for State Police does not leave states without national regulatory standards.
It provides national minimum standards covering critical aspects of policing, including recruitment, training, certification, appointment, promotion and discipline.
Other areas include use of force, firearms, custody, reporting, criminal reporting, intergovernmental cooperation, public reporting and accountability.
The provisions are designed to establish common standards while allowing states to operate police services within their respective jurisdictions.
The proposal also contains safeguards governing cooperation and interaction between federal and state law enforcement authorities.
The latest legislative development follows months of discussions and legislative activity on the restructuring of Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The Senate and House of Representatives had previously considered proposed constitutional changes to allow state police services.
The Policy and Legal Advocacy Center had noted that the two chambers initially considered different versions of the proposal, creating the need for legislative harmonization before the measure could proceed.
The Presidency also supported the State Police initiative as part of a broader effort to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
The administration has presented decentralized policing as a mechanism to bring law enforcement closer to communities and allow states to respond more directly to security situations within their territories.
President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Police Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, also spoke out in favor of a framework that would bring the police closer to the people, while incorporating safeguards to protect citizens’ rights.
Despite the latest developments, the transmission of the bill to state legislatures does not mean that state police services have been established.
The constitutional amendment process remains subject to the required approval of the state Houses of Assembly and subsequent constitutional procedures.
The 24-state threshold therefore represents the immediate legislative test for the proposal.
If the required number of state legislatures approve the amendment, the process will move to subsequent constitutional stages.
As the bill arrives in the 36 state legislatures, several issues are expected to dominate the debate, including funding, recruiting, command structures, political interference, use of firearms, discipline, operational independence and public accountability.
One of the central questions is how states will finance and support their police services, particularly given the different financial capacities of states.
Another major concern is how the proposed police services would maintain professional independence while operating under state authorities.
It is expected that the national minimum standards contained in the proposal will provide part of the regulatory framework to address these concerns.
PLATFORM TIMES concluded that state-by-state consideration of the bill could generate intense legislative and public discussions about the practical implications of establishing state-controlled police services.
Discussions are also expected to focus on how the federal police service and state police services will share responsibilities, exchange information and cooperate during security operations.
For the National Assembly, the next important step is to receive the resolutions of the 36 state Houses of Assembly and proceed in accordance with constitutional requirements.
For state legislators, the task is to independently review the proposed constitutional change and determine their respective positions.
The State Police proposal has therefore entered a critical stage, with 24 of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly required to approve the amendment before the process can proceed further.
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