ABUJA — The proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police in Nigeria is facing a fresh hurdle, as only four of the country’s 36 state Houses of Assembly have so far approved the bill transmitted by the National Assembly.
Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers states have given their concurrence to the proposed amendment, while several other state legislatures are either still studying the bill, consulting stakeholders or yet to receive the document.
The development comes barely weeks after the National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, requesting their concurrence.
The National Assembly had asked the state legislatures to communicate their resolutions within 30 days. However, the 30-day period is an administrative target and not a constitutional deadline.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly — meaning 24 out of the 36 legislatures — before the amendment can proceed to the next stage.
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With only four states having approved the proposal so far, the bill requires the backing of 20 additional state Houses of Assembly to meet the constitutional threshold.
The slow pace of consideration has raised concerns about the progress of a reform that has remained central to Nigeria’s national security debate, particularly amid calls for a more decentralized policing system.
South-West: Osun, Oyo Approve, Others Study Bill
In the South-West, state legislatures are at different stages of considering the proposed amendment.
Osun and Oyo have approved the bill, while Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun are still examining the proposal.
In Ondo State, the House of Assembly confirmed that it had received the draft amendment from the National Assembly and distributed it to all 26 lawmakers for study.
The Assembly’s spokesperson and Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati, said the bill had been read during plenary before being circulated to members.
He said lawmakers would deliberate on the document and forward their observations to the National Assembly.
In Ekiti State, the House has also received the bill but is yet to commence formal deliberation. The Assembly is expected to complete the necessary administrative procedures before the proposal is listed for consideration.
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Osun State, however, has already approved the amendment, passing it clause by clause on September 22 without altering its provisions.
Similarly, the Oyo State House of Assembly passed the bill after lawmakers considered its provisions clause by clause during a Committee of the Whole session. The lawmakers approved the proposal without amendments.
In Ogun State, a committee has been constituted to scrutinize the bill and submit a report to guide subsequent deliberations.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has publicly endorsed the establishment of State Police and called for an accelerated constitutional amendment process.
However, despite that endorsement, the formal status of the Assembly’s concurrence with the full constitutional amendment package transmitted by the National Assembly remains unclear.
South-South: Rivers, Edo Give Green Light
In the South-South, Rivers and Edo states have approved the proposed amendment, while Cross River has commenced consideration.
In Rivers State, the House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the proposal during plenary.
Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the decision was driven by the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and support ongoing security reforms.
The proposed amendment contains 26 clauses, including provisions designed to create a constitutional framework for State Police while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Police Service.
In Edo State, lawmakers also overwhelmingly supported the proposal.
Members who contributed to the debate argued that State Police could improve community-level security, create employment opportunities and contribute to restoring peace across communities.
The Speaker subsequently directed the Clerk to forward clean copies of the resolution to the National Assembly.
In Cross River, lawmakers have taken the first step by giving the bill its First Reading. The Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, said the proposal would undergo the normal legislative process before the House takes a final position.
However, Delta and Bayelsa states are yet to formally approve the proposal.
Delta lawmakers are reportedly consulting critical stakeholders, while Bayelsa had yet to debate the bill as of the latest check.
Northern States Record Slow Progress
The situation is more mixed across the Northern region.
Several Houses of Assembly, including Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, Taraba and Gombe, said they were yet to receive the bill from the National Assembly.
In Taraba, the Assembly said it could not begin consideration until it received the harmonized version of the proposed constitutional alteration.
The Kano and Kwara assemblies similarly confirmed that they had not officially received the document.
Other states have received the bill but are yet to begin formal deliberations.
In Kogi, lawmakers acknowledged receipt of the proposal and are expected to consider it when the Assembly resumes from its break on October 6.
The Yobe State House of Assembly received the bill on September 29 but had yet to list it on the Order Paper for consideration.
In Borno, the bill has been received and read at plenary, but lawmakers have not taken a position.
Nasarawa, Zamfara and Sokoto have also received the bill but are yet to formally approve it.
In Bauchi, lawmakers have constituted a committee headed by the Deputy Speaker, Jamilu Ummaru Dahiru, to examine the proposal and submit its report.
Plateau State is currently the only Northern state identified in the report where formal consideration of the bill has commenced.
South-East Yet to Begin Major Debate
Across the South-East, most state Houses of Assembly are yet to formally debate the State Police Bill.
In Anambra, lawmakers have not commenced debate, although Speakers of the five South-East Houses of Assembly have reportedly agreed in principle on the need for State Police and resolved to sustain regional collaboration.
In Abia, the House is expected to take a position when lawmakers resume on October 6.
The Acting Clerk, Pastor Promise Onwukwe, said lawmakers could not vote individually and that the decision must be taken collectively on the floor of the House.
Enugu and Imo have also yet to formally deliberate on the proposal.
However, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of the bill and promised an accelerated consideration.
Speaker Moses Ijie Odunwa said the Assembly would give the legislation the necessary attention, stressing that the proposed law was aimed at strengthening the safety and security of lives and property.
20 More States Needed
With only four state legislatures having formally approved the constitutional amendment, the proposal still has a considerable legislative journey ahead.
At least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly must concur with the amendment before it can satisfy the constitutional requirement.
The coming days are therefore expected to be critical, particularly as several assemblies prepare to resume from recess and others move their respective committees to consider the proposal.
For advocates of State Police, the reform is being presented as a possible response to Nigeria’s complex security challenges by bringing policing closer to communities.
But with many state legislatures still at different stages of the process — and some yet to receive the bill — the race to secure the required constitutional backing remains far from over.
