Femi Gbajabiamila
Nigeria has moved a major step closer to establishing State Police after 25 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly approved the 2026 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill.
The approval surpassed the constitutional requirement of two-thirds of the states needed for the amendment to progress.
With the milestone achieved, the amendment will now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
However, 11 states, including Lagos, Kano, Borno, Sokoto, Katsina and Niger, are yet to approve the proposed amendment.
Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, described the development as a major breakthrough for police reform in Nigeria.
He commended the State Houses of Assembly for supporting the constitutional amendment and also praised the National Assembly for passing the bill in both chambers.
Gbajabiamila said the approvals have provided the constitutional foundation for a proposed dual policing system made up of the Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
He disclosed that the National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 related amendment bills are undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
According to him, the draft bills were submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation on October 19 for legal review.
He said the Ministry of Justice is expected to complete the validation process and return the bills to the Working Group on or before October 30.
The Working Group will then make final adjustments before presenting the bills to President Tinubu.
Gbajabiamila urged all stakeholders to support a smooth transition to the proposed dual policing system, saying it would improve security and make Nigerians safer.
He expressed confidence that the remaining state assemblies would also approve the constitutional amendment, insisting that there is broad national support for State Police.
President Tinubu had inaugurated the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill in July 2026 to prepare the legal framework for implementing State Police across the country.
The President had explained that while the constitutional amendment creates the framework for State Police, the National Policing Bill will provide the legal structure needed to make the new policing system operational.
