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NIGERIA’S STATE POLICE PLAN FACES MAJOR HURDLE AS ONLY FIVE STATES APPROVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ABUJA — Nigeria’s proposed establishment of state police faces a significant legislative challenge, with only five of the country’s 36 State Houses of...
By Patience
National Assembly complex
The states reported to have approved the proposal are Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara. The remaining 31 state assemblies had yet to approve the amendment as of Thursday, October 15, according to published reports.
The development raises questions about the pace of the reform, which requires approval from at least 24 State Houses of Assembly before the constitutional alteration can proceed.
The proposed amendment is intended to provide a constitutional basis for establishing state police services alongside the existing federal police structure. Supporters say decentralising policing could help authorities respond more effectively to security threats affecting individual communities.
HOW THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCESS STANDS
The National Assembly transmitted the proposed state police constitutional amendment to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.
The Senate had passed the proposal on June 24, while the House of Representatives approved it on July 23.
Under Section 9(2) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration generally requires approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly. In Nigeria’s case, that means at least 24 of the 36 state legislatures must approve the amendment.
With five states reported to have approved the proposal by October 15, the measure remains well short of the required threshold.
The 30-day period given to the state assemblies to communicate their positions was due to expire on October 16. However, the limited number of approvals does not, by itself, establish that the proposal has been formally rejected or that the constitutional process has ended.
The next steps will depend on the responses of state legislatures and any further clarification from the National Assembly.
WHY NIGERIA IS CONSIDERING STATE POLICE
The debate over state police has intensified amid persistent security challenges across Nigeria, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
Supporters of decentralised policing argue that state authorities are better positioned to understand local security conditions and coordinate responses to threats within their territories.
They believe state police could improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community engagement and enable law enforcement to respond more quickly to incidents.
The existing Nigeria Police Force operates under a centralised national structure. Establishing state police would introduce a dual system in which federal and state police services operate under different levels of government.
However, the proposed change would require clear rules defining the responsibilities of each service, their funding arrangements, operational powers and cooperation when crimes cross state boundaries.
CONCERNS OVER POLITICAL INTERFERENCE
Despite the arguments in favour of state police, concerns remain about the potential misuse of security agencies by state governments.
Critics warn that governors could attempt to influence investigations, target political opponents or use police personnel to suppress legitimate opposition.
There are also concerns about whether every state would have sufficient funding, trained personnel and institutional capacity to establish and maintain a professional police service.
These questions have featured in discussions surrounding the proposed reform.
A successful framework would need safeguards to protect citizens’ rights, ensure independent oversight and provide mechanisms for investigating allegations of misconduct.
The relationship between federal and state police services would also need to be clearly defined to prevent jurisdictional disputes and gaps in law enforcement.
SEPARATE NATIONAL POLICING BILL NEARS COMPLETION
Alongside the constitutional amendment, the Federal Government is preparing a separate National Policing Bill intended to provide an operational framework for police reform.
At a meeting in Abuja on October 15, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila said the bill was approximately 90 per cent ready and could be transmitted to the National Assembly within about two weeks.
He explained that the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill was addressing outstanding details, including observations from governors, before completing the document.
The distinction between the two initiatives is important. The constitutional amendment would provide the legal basis for establishing state police services, while the separate legislation is intended to address how the policing framework would operate.
The progress of the National Policing Bill does not, however, replace the requirement for state assemblies to approve the constitutional amendment.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The immediate question is whether more state legislatures will approve the proposed constitutional amendment and how the National Assembly will respond to the limited number of approvals reported by the deadline.
At least 24 states must approve the constitutional alteration before it can proceed through the required process.
The Federal Government’s work on the separate National Policing Bill indicates that preparations for wider policing reform are continuing, even as the constitutional amendment faces delays.
For Nigerians affected by insecurity, the debate is about more than legislative procedure. It concerns how police services should be organised, how quickly officers can respond to threats and what safeguards will prevent the misuse of security powers.
Whether state police becomes a reality will depend on the decisions of state lawmakers, the completion of the constitutional process and the development of a workable framework for accountability, funding and cooperation between federal and state authorities.