The push for the establishment of state police in Nigeria has gained momentum, with five additional state Houses of Assembly approving the proposed constitutional amendments, as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submits its draft legislation to the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The state assemblies of Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara and Adamawa have endorsed the proposed amendments, joining Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara, which had earlier approved the measures aimed at creating state police services.
The Presidential Working Group also announced that it had submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, who said the group had completed the drafting phase of its assignment.
According to Gbajabiamila, the proposed National Policing Bill is designed to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The proposed Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, 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.
The bill seeks to amend Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to replace the existing single Nigeria Police Force structure with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The proposed reform is part of broader efforts to address Nigeria’s persistent security challenges by restructuring the policing system and providing for policing services at both federal and state levels.
The submission of the draft National Policing Bill and the growing number of state assembly approvals mark further steps in the legislative process towards the proposed reform.
However, the constitutional amendment process remains subject to the applicable legislative requirements, including the necessary approvals by state Houses of Assembly and subsequent action by the National Assembly.
If enacted, the proposed framework would provide the legal foundation for the establishment and operation of state police services alongside the federal policing structure.
Credit:ITV News
