The proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria has moved a step closer to realisation following the approval of the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by 24 State Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutionally required two-thirds threshold of the 36 states.
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described the development as a major milestone in the country’s efforts to reform its policing system and strengthen security.
In a statement on Friday, Gbajabiamila commended the State Houses of Assembly for their decisive action and appreciated the National Assembly for passing the constitutional amendment in both chambers.
The statement quoted Gbajabiamila as saying the approval marked significant progress towards establishing a dual policing system, adding that, in line with Section 9 of the Constitution, the amendment could now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
He said the constitutional approval provides the necessary backing for the proposed policing framework, which the Working Group’s draft National Policing Bill, 2026, is designed to implement.
According to him, the draft bills are currently undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice and are expected to be returned to the Working Group on or before October 30, 2026.
Gbajabiamila added that the Working Group would give the bills final consideration before presenting them to the President.
He urged stakeholders across the country to support a smooth transition to the proposed dual policing system, which is aimed at improving public safety and strengthening the country’s capacity to tackle security challenges.
The development represents an important step in the constitutional process towards state policing, with the proposed framework expected to define how the system will operate alongside the existing federal policing structure.