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Nigeria has moved a decisive step closer to state police. The National Assembly is now completing the administrative process to transmit the State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent, after 28 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly approved the constitutional amendment that would allow states to establish their own police services.
What did the Clerk to the National Assembly announce?
Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in Abuja. According to Punch, which reviewed the statement, Ogunlana said his office had received and verified reports confirming that 28 state legislatures had approved the proposed constitutional amendment to create State Police Services.
Why does 28 matter for state police?
The constitution requires approval by at least 24 state assemblies for an amendment to pass. The 28 approvals therefore exceed the constitutional threshold with room to spare. The Nation newspaper, which also read the statement, noted that the number cleared "the constitutionally prescribed threshold of 24 states," making transmission to the President the next formal step.
Where are the approvals coming from?
Ogunlana explained that the bill was transmitted to all 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, with a request that each legislature communicate its decision within 30 days. That deadline expired on October 15, 2026, but the Clerk said his office would continue to receive reports from state assemblies until the bill is transmitted for presidential assent. Leadership Newspapers reported that the approvals secured from the required number of assemblies allowed the National Assembly to commence transmission processes.
What law governs the transmission?
The authentication of the approvals is being carried out in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, (LEN) 2004. Ogunlana's statement, as quoted by THEWILL, said: "In view of the approvals secured from the required number of State Houses of Assembly, the necessary administrative processes are being undertaken to facilitate the transmission of the Bill to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for assent."
What does the State Police Bill actually do?
The bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters. Supporters of the amendment argue that a decentralised policing system would shorten response times, deepen local intelligence gathering and address Nigeria's worsening security challenges, from banditry in the North-West to farmer-herder violence in the Middle Belt.
Why is state police controversial in Nigeria?
The idea has divided opinion for decades. Opponents worry that governors could abuse state-controlled police forces against political opponents, while supporters counter that a single federal command structure cannot police a country of more than 200 million people across nearly a million square kilometres. The approval by 28 assemblies, spanning different regions and parties, signals that a supermajority of states now favour the reform.
What happens after Tinubu signs?
Presidential assent would complete the constitutional amendment process, after which the enabling legislation and implementation details, including funding, command structures and state-level oversight, would follow. The President's office has not yet indicated when he will sign, so the timing of the final step remains the one open question in what has been one of the most closely watched constitutional reforms in Nigeria's Fourth Republic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many states approved the State Police Bill?
Twenty-eight of the 36 State Houses of Assembly have approved the constitutional amendment, above the required threshold of 24 states.
When was the bill sent to the state assemblies?
The Clerk said it was transmitted on September 16, 2026, with a 30-day deadline that expired on October 15, 2026.
What law is being used for the transmission?
The Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, (LEN) 2004.
Sources: Punch (Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis), The Nation (Sanni Onogu), Leadership Newspapers (Samson Elijah), THEWILL (Felix Ifijeh).
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