State Police: 30 States Approve Bill, National Assembly Moves to Send It to Tinubu

Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, says 30 state houses of assembly have approved the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026, clearing the constitutional threshold for the proposed reform.

Bamidele said the National Assembly planned to complete the remaining legislative stages and transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent on or before December 2026.

The Senate leader spoke on Thursday while delivering a lecture titled “Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of governance through proactive lawmaking” to participants of senior executive course 48 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau state.

Bamidele, who is also vice-chairman of the Senate committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, described the state assemblies’ approvals as a historic milestone in efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.

He said the constitutional requirement had been met under section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the approval of at least two-thirds of state houses of assembly for constitutional alterations.

“We are pleased to inform our constituents across the federation that state police have moved from rhetoric to reality,” Bamidele said.

“We have already received formal reports from the state houses of assembly and, as of today, no fewer than 30 states have approved the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026.”

The senate leader said the next step would require the national assembly to collate the reports from the state assemblies and pass a resolution by a simple majority of members in both chambers.

“Once this resolution is passed, the Alteration Bill will be transmitted to the President and Commander-in-Chief for assent,” he said.

He described the proposed reform as a major step towards establishing a policing system that understands local terrain, speaks local languages and responds more effectively to the security needs of communities.

According to him, the reform was not intended to weaken the federal government but to strengthen the federation through a community-based policing system subject to constitutional safeguards.

“It is not about creating state armies, but about creating state-led, community-anchored policing within clear constitutional safeguards, operational standards, oversight mechanisms and human rights protections,” he said.

Bamidele added that the 10th national assembly, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio remained committed to delivering the reform.

He said the establishment of state police had featured prominently in legislative discussions for more than 15 years without success.

The senate leader said the national assembly had also pursued other people-centred legislation, including the student loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024; the Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024; the four tax reform acts of 2025; and the National Social Investment Programme Act.

He listed other laws passed by the current assembly as the Electoral Act, 2026; the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act; the Investments and Securities Act, 2025; the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act, 2024; and the Regional Development Commissions Acts.

Bamidele said legislative performance should be assessed by the impact of laws and interventions on citizens rather than the number of bills passed.

“The legislature can move the country from a reactive to a strategic and preventive model of governance,” he said, adding that proactive lawmaking could strengthen national security, economic transformation, public financial management, electoral credibility, education and healthcare.