The proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria is facing a major legislative hurdle, with only four of the 36 state Houses of Assembly having approved the constitutional amendment required to introduce decentralised policing.
Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers are the only states confirmed to have formally approved the proposed amendment, raising concerns about whether the reform will secure the constitutionally required support from at least 24 state legislatures.
The development comes less than three weeks after the National Assembly transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to all 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16 for consideration and approval.
Although the National Assembly set a 30-day administrative timeframe for the state legislatures to communicate their decisions, the Nigerian Constitution does not make the period a mandatory deadline.
Under the constitutional amendment procedure, at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly must approve the proposed alteration before it can become law. With only four states having granted concurrence, another 20 state legislatures must approve the bill to meet the required threshold.
The slow pace of consideration has raised fresh questions about the prospects of the proposed state police reform, which the Federal Government and the National Assembly have identified as a major step towards addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
State Police Bill: South-West Records Two Approvals
The South-West geopolitical zone has recorded two confirmed approvals, with Osun and Oyo states endorsing the proposed constitutional amendment.
The Osun State House of Assembly approved the bill after examining its provisions clause by clause, while lawmakers in Oyo also granted concurrence following deliberations during plenary.
However, Ondo and Ekiti states are yet to complete the legislative process. The Ondo State House of Assembly has read the proposed amendment and distributed copies to lawmakers for further study.
Ekiti is also expected to commence formal consideration after completing its internal legislative procedures.
Lagos State had earlier endorsed the establishment of state police during a plenary session in July and called for an accelerated process. However, the state has yet to publicly confirm its formal approval of the specific constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly or the transmission of its resolution.
In Ogun State, the House of Assembly has received the proposal and constituted a committee to examine the bill before presenting it for consideration by the full House.
The differing positions across the South-West highlight the varying pace of legislative action, despite growing support for decentralised policing in the region.
Rivers and Edo Approve State Police Amendment
In the South-South, Rivers and Edo states have formally approved the proposed constitutional amendment, becoming two of the four states to meet the legislative requirement so far.
The Rivers State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the bill after considering its provisions, recording 25 votes in favour, with no votes against and no abstentions.
The Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, said the proposal was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture by bringing policing closer to communities and improving responses to local security threats.
The Assembly also noted that the proposed framework would retain the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level while establishing a constitutional basis for state police services.
Edo State lawmakers have similarly granted concurrence to the proposed amendment.
Meanwhile, Cross River has commenced the legislative process after the bill received its first reading in the House of Assembly.
Delta State has confirmed receiving the proposal and is consulting relevant stakeholders before making a final decision.
Bayelsa State, however, had yet to formally debate or vote on the amendment at the time of the latest checks.
Northern States Yet to Record Approval
The proposed state police amendment is also progressing slowly across several Northern states, where a number of state legislatures have received the bill but are yet to begin deliberations or grant approval.
Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, Taraba and Gombe are among the states where lawmakers have indicated that the proposal had not been formally received or scheduled for consideration.
In Kogi State, the bill has been received, but the House of Assembly has yet to reach a decision.
Yobe, Borno, Nasarawa, Zamfara and Sokoto have also acknowledged receipt of the proposed amendment but have not formally approved it.
The Legal Secretary to the Yobe State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Madaki, confirmed that the bill had been received but had not been listed for consideration.
According to Madaki, the proposal had yet to appear on the House’s Order Paper for deliberation.
In Nasarawa State, Speaker Danladi Jatau said lawmakers would study the proposed amendment before taking the necessary legislative steps.
Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabiru Ibrahim Kware, confirmed that the bill had been received but that deliberations had not commenced.
Bauchi State has taken a further step by establishing a committee to examine the proposed amendment and submit its findings to the House.
Plateau State is also among the Northern states that have commenced the formal legislative process, with the bill already read and consideration underway.
Despite these developments, no additional Northern state had been confirmed to have formally approved the amendment in the latest checks.
South-East Yet to Approve State Police Bill
The South-East geopolitical zone is yet to record a confirmed approval of the proposed constitutional amendment, with Anambra, Enugu and Imo states still expected to complete their legislative consideration.
Abia State is expected to take a position after lawmakers resume from their legislative recess on October 6.
The Acting Clerk of the Abia State House of Assembly, Pastor Promise Onwukwe, explained that the decision must be taken collectively during a plenary session rather than by individual lawmakers.
He said the Assembly would resume on Tuesday, October 6, after which members would have the opportunity to deliberate on the proposed amendment and take the necessary action.
Ebonyi State, meanwhile, has confirmed receiving the bill and expressed its commitment to giving the proposal accelerated consideration.
The absence of formal approvals from the South-East further highlights the challenges facing the proposed constitutional amendment as the National Assembly seeks to secure the support of at least 24 state legislatures.
What the Proposed State Police Amendment Seeks to Achieve
The State Police Services Bill, 2026, is intended to establish a constitutional framework for the creation and operation of state police services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.
The proposed amendment seeks to decentralise policing responsibilities, allowing state governments to establish police services capable of responding more effectively to local security concerns.
It also provides for safeguards and national standards to guide the operations of state police services and maintain accountability within the proposed policing structure.
The National Assembly previously clarified that the State Police Services Bill was the only constitutional alteration bill transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly at this stage, following widespread concerns over insecurity and calls for a more decentralised security system.
Nigeria continues to face serious security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, communal violence and other forms of violent crime, strengthening calls for reforms to the country’s policing structure.
State Police Reform Faces Crucial Legislative Test
With only Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers having confirmed their approval, the proposed state police amendment faces a critical test as the remaining state legislatures consider their positions.
The constitutional requirement of 24 state approvals means that the National Assembly still needs the support of 20 additional state Houses of Assembly before the proposed amendment can proceed through the constitutional process.
Although the 30-day timeframe set by the National Assembly is administrative rather than a constitutionally binding deadline, the slow pace of deliberations has placed renewed attention on the willingness of state lawmakers to support the reform.
The coming weeks are expected to be significant as more state legislatures conclude consultations, examine the bill and decide whether to grant concurrence to the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria.