The Houses of Assembly in Osun, Edo, Oyo, and Rivers have endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police across Nigeria. This development is a significant step towards a major policing reform in the country. The National Assembly had transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration and approval. The bill aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to create a legal and institutional framework for the establishment and operation of state police.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, formally transmitted the bill to the state legislatures on September 16, 2026. The process is being conducted pursuant to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribes the procedure for altering the Constitution. Under the provision, a constitutional amendment passed by the National Assembly requires the approval, by resolution, of not less than two-thirds of all the state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the President for assent. With 36 state legislatures in the country, the required threshold is 24 Houses of Assembly.
Osun State was the first to kick-start the process, followed by Edo, Rivers, and Oyo. During deliberations at the plenary session on September 22, 2026, the majority leader of the Osun House, Babajide Kofoworola, moved the motion for approval, which was seconded by Mr Tajudeen Adeyemi, representing Ifelodun Constituency. They said the measure would strengthen the security arrangements in the state. The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Egbedu, directed that the approved amendments and resolutions of the Osun State House of Assembly be forwarded to the National Assembly for further consideration.
In Edo State, the House of Assembly unanimously approved the constitutional amendment bill. Leading debate on the bill, the Majority Leader, Hon Osezua Sunday Ojezelle, highlighted its significance and urged lawmakers to support its passage. Members representing various constituencies, including Akoko-Edo Constituency II, Ovia North-East Constituency I, Oredo Constituency I, Etsako East Constituency, and Esan North-East Constituency II, also supported the bill, citing its potential to create employment opportunities and strengthen security at the community level.
The Rivers State House of Assembly endorsed the proposal on Monday, September 27. Speaker Martins Amaewhule explained that the bill seeks to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services, subject to the Constitution and to an Act of the National Assembly prescribing national minimum policing standards. The bill establishes constitutional guardrails covering civilian control, human rights, national minimum standards, independent police service commissions, intergovernmental cooperation, criminal information systems, firearms control, and exceptional federal intervention in state policing in cases of breakdown.
The Oyo State House of Assembly acted on Tuesday, September 29, at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin. After clause-by-clause consideration by the lawmakers, the Assembly passed the bill. According to Ogundoyin, the passage of the bill would have significant legislative implications for the Oyo Assembly, particularly the need to develop a comprehensive State Police Law capable of translating the constitutional framework into an effective operational institution.
The proposed amendment would fundamentally restructure Nigeria's policing architecture by providing for a Federal Police Service alongside State Police Services. Each state would be empowered to establish its own Police Service through legislation by the State House of Assembly. The bill's passage by the four states brings the total number of states that have endorsed the proposal to four. The National Assembly's leadership has adopted a 30-day administrative timeframe to encourage the Houses of Assembly to consider the proposal and communicate their positions.
Key points
- The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to establish state police across Nigeria.
- Four Nigerian states, including Osun, Edo, Oyo, and Rivers, have endorsed the proposal.
- The bill's passage requires the approval of not less than two-thirds of all the state Houses of Assembly.
