…Presidential working group hails constitutional breakthrough as Adamawa rejects two clauses
Nigeria’s proposed establishment of state police has moved closer to becoming a constitutional reality after 24 State Houses of Assembly approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, meeting the two-thirds endorsement threshold required for constitutional amendments.
The development marks a significant milestone in efforts to decentralise policing in Nigeria, with 12 states, including Lagos, Kano, Katsina and Borno, yet to approve the legislation.
The proposed amendment seeks to alter Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to replace the existing single Nigeria Police Force structure with a dual policing arrangement comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The bill, which had earlier been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, for consideration and approval.
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With 24 states now reported to have endorsed the proposal, the amendment has attained the minimum number of state legislative approvals required under Section 9 of the Constitution.
However, the amendment must still complete the remaining constitutional procedures before it can take effect.
The states reported to have approved the bill 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.
Of the 12 states yet to endorse the proposal, nine are in the North, while three are in the South.
The northern states are Kogi, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano, Sokoto and Katsina.
In the South, Lagos, Ondo and Ebonyi have yet to approve the amendment.
The Adamawa State House of Assembly joined the states supporting the proposed amendment on Tuesday, although lawmakers rejected two of the bill’s 26 clauses.
At an emergency sitting presided over by Speaker Bathiya Wesley, members spent more than two hours considering the provisions of the legislation.
The lawmakers, who had been on recess in China, reconvened to deliberate on the constitutional amendment and determine which provisions to approve.
Following the deliberations, the House approved 24 clauses and rejected two.
Wesley subsequently directed the Clerk of the House to prepare a clean copy of the approved provisions and transmit the resolution to the National Assembly.
The partial approval introduces an important consideration regarding the extent to which the resolutions passed by individual state legislatures align with the version approved by the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has welcomed the endorsement of the proposed constitutional amendment by 24 State Houses of Assembly.
The group described the development as a significant step towards establishing a dual policing system in Nigeria.
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It commended the state legislatures for their support for the proposed reform and acknowledged the National Assembly for passing the amendment through both chambers.
The proposed restructuring is intended to address longstanding concerns over the ability of the centrally controlled police system to respond effectively to security challenges across Nigeria’s diverse communities.
Under the envisaged arrangement, policing responsibilities would be shared between federal and state services, subject to the constitutional and statutory framework eventually adopted.
The proposal has featured prominently in national discussions on security reform, particularly amid concerns over kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and other forms of violent crime.
Although the attainment of the 24-state threshold represents a major legislative milestone, the precise provisions endorsed by the state assemblies and the completion of the remaining constitutional processes will determine when the proposed policing structure can become operational.
