Nigeria Moves Closer to State Police After 28 States Approve Constitutional Amendment

The proposed reform has cleared the constitutional threshold required from Nigeria's state legislatures, moving it closer to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

ABUJA, Nigeria Nigeria has moved closer to establishing state police services after 28 of the country's 36 State Houses of Assembly approved a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legal framework for state-level policing.

The number of verified approvals exceeds the constitutional requirement for at least two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 state legislatures to support a constitutional alteration. That threshold is equivalent to approval by at least 24 states.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed that reports from the 28 state assemblies had been received and verified.

The proposed legislation, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeks to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.

The development marks a significant step in Nigeria's long-running debate over decentralising policing in a country where security responsibilities are largely concentrated under the federal Nigeria Police Force.

A Major Shift in Nigeria's Policing System

Supporters of state police have argued that decentralising policing could strengthen responses to security challenges by bringing law enforcement closer to local communities.

Nigeria faces a range of security concerns, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence in different parts of the country.

Advocates of the proposed reform believe state-level police services could improve local intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based policing and allow faster responses to threats.

They also argue that officers operating closer to communities may have a better understanding of local conditions and security challenges.

If eventually enacted, the proposed reform would represent a major change to Nigeria's current centralised policing structure by allowing states to establish their own police services alongside the existing federal system.

Concerns About Political Interference

The proposed reform has also generated concerns about how state police services would be controlled and supervised.

Critics have warned that state-controlled police forces could potentially be vulnerable to political interference or misuse by powerful political figures.

Questions surrounding funding, professional standards, accountability and oversight are also expected to remain important as Nigeria considers how the proposed system would operate in practice.

Supporters of the reform argue that strong legal and institutional safeguards will be necessary to ensure that state police services improve security while protecting against abuse of power.

What Happens Next?

The approval of the amendment by 28 state legislatures does not mean that state police forces are already operating in Nigeria.

The National Assembly has begun the administrative process of moving the constitutional amendment toward President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The bill was sent to Nigeria's 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration. Although the initial period given to the state legislatures has passed, the Office of the Clerk said it would continue receiving outstanding reports until the bill is formally transmitted for presidential assent.

For now, the verified approval of 28 state legislatures represents a major constitutional milestone.

If the amendment completes the remaining stages and becomes law, Nigeria could see one of the most significant changes to its policing structure in decades, with states taking a more direct role in providing security within their jurisdictions.

The success of any future state police system, however, may depend on how Nigeria addresses concerns about political interference, funding, accountability and professional independence.