State Police Bill Hits Fresh Hurdle As Only 4 States Approve Amendment

The proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police has hit a fresh hurdle, with only four of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly having approved the bill nearly three weeks after it was transmitted to the legislatures.

Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers are the only states that have so far given their concurrence to the proposed amendment, according to checks across the country.

The development has raised concerns over the pace of the constitutional amendment process, particularly as several state legislatures are yet to commence consideration of the bill, while others say they are still awaiting its transmission from the National Assembly.

The National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, asking them to communicate their resolutions within 30 days.

Although the 30-day period is an administrative timeline rather than a constitutional deadline, the proposed amendment requires approval by at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before it can proceed to the next stage.

Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, this means at least 24 of the 36 Houses of Assembly must approve the amendment.

With only four states having approved the proposal, 20 additional state legislatures must still concur with it to meet the constitutional threshold.

Across the country, the level of legislative action varies considerably, with some assemblies having approved the proposal, others studying it, while several are yet to formally consider or receive it.

In the South-West, Osun and Oyo have approved the bill, while Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun are still at different stages of consideration.

The Ondo State House of Assembly confirmed receipt of the draft amendment and said it had been read during plenary before being distributed to the 26 lawmakers for study.

The Assembly’s spokesperson and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati, said lawmakers would deliberate on the document and forward their observations to the National Assembly.

In Ekiti, the House has received the bill but is yet to begin deliberations.

Jide Agbeyo, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Adeoye Aribasoye, said the document was received in a letter dated September 16, 2026, but must undergo administrative procedures before being listed for formal consideration.

Osun, however, passed the bill clause by clause on September 22 without altering its provisions.

The Speaker’s spokesperson, Tiamiyu Olamide, said the resolution had been compiled by the Clerk and signed by Speaker Adewale Egbedun for transmission to the National Assembly.

In Oyo, the bill scaled its third reading after lawmakers constituted themselves into a Committee of the Whole and considered its provisions clause by clause.

The sitting was presided over by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin, with lawmakers approving the draft without amendments.

In Ogun, the Assembly has constituted a committee to scrutinise the proposed amendment before consideration by the full House.

The committee includes former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo, Deputy Speaker Bolanle Ajayi and Majority Leader Yusuf Sherif Abiodun.

Lagos has also publicly endorsed the establishment of state police, with the House unanimously backing the decentralisation of policing in July and urging the 36 state legislatures to expedite consideration of the constitutional amendment.

However, the formal status of the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly remains unclear in Lagos, as there is no publicly confirmed record of a clause-by-clause vote on the full package or transmission of the Assembly’s resolution.

In the South-South, Rivers and Edo have approved the proposed amendment, while Cross River has commenced consideration.

The Rivers State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly.

Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the proposal would strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and provide a constitutional framework for establishing state police services.

In Edo, lawmakers also granted concurrence after a debate on the proposal.

The House said the establishment of state police would create employment opportunities and strengthen security at the community level.

Cross River has taken the bill through its First Reading, with Speaker Elvert Ayambem saying it would undergo the normal legislative process before the House takes a position.

Delta has confirmed receipt of the bill but is consulting stakeholders before deciding its position.

In Bayelsa, the Assembly had yet to debate or vote on the proposal as of September 25.

The situation is also mixed across the Northern states.

While some Houses have received the bill, several others say they are yet to receive the formal communication from the National Assembly.

Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, Taraba and Gombe are among the states that reported not having received the bill at the time of the checks.

In Taraba, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Nelson Len, said the Assembly could not commence consideration until the National Assembly formally transmitted the document.

Kano’s Speaker’s spokesman, Kamaludeen Sani Shawwai, similarly said the House could not deliberate on a document it had not officially received.

The Kwara Assembly also confirmed that it was yet to receive the communication.

Other Northern states have received the bill but are yet to take a formal position.

Yobe received the proposal on September 29 but had not listed it on the Order Paper for consideration.

The Borno House of Assembly has received and read the bill at plenary but is yet to debate it.

In Nasarawa, Speaker Danladi Jatau confirmed that the House received the bill on September 18 and said lawmakers would study it before taking the necessary legislative steps.

Zamfara and Sokoto have also received the proposal but are yet to begin formal deliberations.

Kogi is expected to consider the matter when the Assembly resumes from its break on October 6.

Bauchi has constituted a committee headed by Deputy Speaker Jamilu Ummaru Dahiru to examine the bill and report back to the House within two weeks.

Plateau is among the Northern states where formal consideration has commenced, with the House taking the proposal through its First Reading.

In the South-East, most of the state Houses of Assembly have yet to commence formal consideration of the bill.

Anambra has not begun debate, although speakers of the five South-East Houses of Assembly recently agreed in principle on the need for state police and resolved to sustain collaboration on the issue.

In Abia, the Assembly is expected to consider the proposal when lawmakers resume on October 6.

The Acting Clerk, Pastor Promise Onwukwe, said lawmakers could only take the decision collectively on the floor of the House.

Enugu and Imo are yet to formally introduce or deliberate on the bill.

Ebonyi, however, has confirmed receipt and promised accelerated consideration.

Speaker Moses Ijie Odunwa said the Assembly would give the proposal accelerated hearing and deliberation, stressing that the legislation was aimed at strengthening the safety and security of lives and property.

The slow pace of consideration comes against the backdrop of persistent calls for the decentralisation of policing as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

However, unless more state legislatures accelerate their consideration and approval of the proposed amendment, the constitutional requirement of 24 state approvals remains a significant hurdle to the establishment of state police.