State Police Bill hits roadblock in states
State Police Constitutional Amendment Faces Delays Among State Assemblies
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
The push for state police as a means to address Nigeria’s escalating security issues encounters significant hurdles in several state Houses of Assembly. Currently, only four states—Edo, Osun, Oyo, and Rivers—have approved the proposed constitutional amendment aimed at establishing state police.
A review of legislative activities across the country reveals that numerous state assemblies have yet to start deliberations on the bill. Some have reportedly not received the proposal since its transmission from the National Assembly.
This situation has raised concerns about the constitutional amendment process’s pace. The National Assembly submitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, requesting their response within 30 days. However, this timeline is administrative and does not impose a legal deadline.
As stipulated in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires approval from at least two-thirds of the state legislatures—24 out of 36 states—for further progression.
With just four states’ approval thus far, the proposed amendment remains 20 votes short of the necessary threshold. The slow consideration, coupled with some assemblies’ claims of not receiving the bill, raises questions regarding their readiness to meet the National Assembly’s expected timeline for responses.
In the South-West region, Osun and Oyo have passed the amendment bill, while Ondo, Ekiti, and Ogun are still reviewing the draft. Lagos has endorsed the proposal in principle; however, its formal approval status is unclear.
The Ondo State House confirmed it has received the draft and is in the process of studying it, while Ekiti has indicated it will begin legislative procedures soon. In Osun, the assembly approved the bill without amendments on September 22, 2026, and moved towards transmitting its resolution to the National Assembly.
Oyo State legislators have also passed the amendment and are preparing to forward their resolution. Meanwhile, Ogun’s assembly has formed a committee to review the bill prior to discussing it in full session.
In the South-South, Rivers and Edo have both lent their support to the bill, whereas Delta is in consultation with stakeholders, and Cross River has begun deliberations. Bayelsa, however, has yet to undertake any formal action.
In Northern states, many assemblies remain stagnant, with some not having received the bill at all. For instance, Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, and Taraba reported no receipt of the document, ultimately hindering any legislative action. Meanwhile, Plateau is the only Northern state to have initiated formal consideration of the proposed amendment so far.
In the South-East, most states have not yet begun discussions on the proposal, although a recent meeting among speaker representatives highlighted a collective agreement on the necessity of establishing state police. Each state is expected to proceed according to its legislative process, with some states like Ebonyi committing to expedite consideration.
As the legislative process unfolds, the outcome of the state assemblies’ actions on the state police amendment remains critical to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges effectively.
