Kano, Lagos, 10 Others Yet To Approve State Police Bill

Twelve State Houses of Assembly including Lagos, Kano and Ondo are yet to approve the proposed constitutional amendment establishing state police, even as 24 states have now endorsed the reform, meeting the constitutionally required threshold for the amendment to advance.

The other states yet to approve the proposal are Ebonyi, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina and Sokoto.

The development marks a significant step in the push to decentralise policing in Nigeria, with the required two-thirds approval from the 36 state legislatures now attained.

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However, the outstanding approvals from the 12 states raise questions about the pace of legislative consideration in some parts of the country, particularly amid persistent security challenges and growing calls for a policing system that responds more effectively to local threats.

The 24 states that have approved the proposed constitutional amendment are Adamawa, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Abia, Yobe and Kaduna.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration requires approval by resolutions of at least two-thirds of all State Houses of Assembly, representing 24 of the 36 states.

The attainment of the threshold marks a major development in the constitutional amendment process, although the required legislative and constitutional steps must still be completed before the proposed state policing framework can take effect.

The Senate passed the proposed constitutional amendment on 24 June 2026, while the House of Representatives passed its version on July 23. The National Assembly subsequently transmitted the proposal to the state assemblies on 16 September for consideration and concurrence.

The National Assembly had asked the state legislatures to communicate their resolutions within 30 days. However, the period was an administrative target rather than a constitutional deadline.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, a Lagos-based lawyer, Barrister Yomi Ogunsanya, said the 30-day period communicated by the Clerk to the National Assembly was intended for administrative convenience, adding that its expiration did not invalidate the National Assembly’s passage of the proposed amendment.

He said the federal government could not override the constitutional powers of state assemblies, stressing that the assemblies must exercise their powers in accordance with the constitutional amendment procedure.

Ogunsanya, however, called for constitutional safeguards to prevent governors from abusing state police powers if the proposal eventually becomes law.

“There should also be constitutional limits on governors to prevent abuse of state police powers when the system eventually comes into effect, so that the rights of ordinary citizens are not violated,” he said.

His position underscores the need to distinguish between the administrative timetable communicated to the state assemblies and the constitutional requirements governing the amendment process.

Also speaking, the executive director of Alliance for Peoples Rights, Obadofin Rotimi Adeyemi, criticised the delay by some state assemblies, alleging that a lack of political will among lawmakers had slowed consideration of the proposal.

Adeyemi expressed disappointment that the amendment had remained pending in some state legislatures for weeks despite the country’s security challenges and calls for a decentralised policing structure.

He alleged that some lawmakers were reluctant to act without their state governors’ approval.

“The state assemblies are rubber stamps of the executive. They do not have the willpower to pass the bill without governors giving them approval to do so,” he said.

Adeyemi’s criticism raises questions about the independence of state legislatures in considering a reform that would significantly alter the country’s policing arrangements.

The proposed establishment of state police has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s security debate, with supporters arguing that decentralisation would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable security agencies to respond more quickly to threats.

Proponents contend that state-based policing structures could be better positioned to understand local terrain, languages and community dynamics, potentially improving responses to kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and other criminal activities.

They also argue that state police could complement the existing federal policing structure, provided that responsibilities and operational boundaries are clearly defined.

However, concerns persist over the possibility of governors using state-controlled police formations to intimidate political opponents, suppress peaceful protests or interfere with citizens’ fundamental rights.

These concerns have made accountability and operational independence central to discussions about the proposed reform.

Ogunsanya’s call for constitutional limits on governors underscores the importance of ensuring that state police operate within clear legal boundaries and are not turned into instruments of partisan interests.

Potential safeguards include clear provisions governing the appointment and removal of state police commissioners, recruitment standards, funding arrangements, disciplinary procedures and independent oversight.

There are also questions about how state police would cooperate with the Nigeria Police Force in investigating crimes across state boundaries, sharing intelligence and responding to security threats involving multiple jurisdictions.

Funding remains another consideration, as state governments would need to provide resources for recruitment, training, equipment, logistics and personnel welfare. Differences in the financial capacity of states could affect the effectiveness of their policing arrangements.

The proposed National Policing Bill, 2026, is also being developed to provide a framework for the country’s future policing system. The Presidential Working Group on National Policing reportedly submitted the draft bill and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice on October 19 for legislative drafting review and validation.

The ministry is expected to return the validated drafts by 30 October, after which the working group will give them further consideration before presenting them to the President.

The National Policing Bill is separate from the constitutional amendment process. While it is intended to provide a framework for policing administration, the constitutional changes required to establish state police must proceed through the prescribed legislative process.

With the required 24-state threshold now reportedly met, attention is expected to shift to completing the remaining constitutional procedures and developing legal safeguards to guide the operation of state police.