Nigeria’s proposed state police system has reached a crucial stage as the National Assembly transmits the 2026 constitutional amendment bill to all 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration.
The move gives state lawmakers a major role in determining whether the proposed policing reform can proceed, with at least 24 of the 36 assemblies required to approve the bill before the constitutional amendment process can advance.
The proposal seeks to establish state police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force, creating a two tier policing structure that would give states greater responsibility for addressing security challenges within their territories...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The development comes amid persistent concerns over insecurity, including kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and other crimes. Supporters of state police argue that decentralising policing could bring security operations closer to communities and improve intelligence gathering and response to local threats.
However, concerns remain about possible political interference, funding, recruitment, training, accountability and the operational relationship between state police and the federal police.
Security expert Charles Omole has warned that simply reproducing the existing police structure at the state level could create additional problems if fundamental changes are not made to policing culture and operational standards. Meanwhile, Professor Olu Ogunsakin, chairman of the committee on the establishment of state police, has expressed confidence that the required number of states could support the proposal.
The State Houses of Assembly are expected to consider the bill according to their respective legislative procedures before communicating their decisions to the National Assembly.
Although lawmakers have been asked to communicate their resolutions within 30 days, the National Assembly has clarified that the period is an administrative timeframe and not a constitutional deadline.
The outcome of the state level deliberations will determine whether the proposed state police framework can clear another major constitutional hurdle. If at least 24 state assemblies approve the amendment, the process can proceed to the next stage required for altering the 1999 Constitution.
The development has therefore placed Nigeria’s 36 state legislatures at the centre of one of the country’s most significant ongoing security and constitutional reform debates.
