WorldStage— Following approval by at least 30 State Houses of Assembly of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, exceeding the statutory two-thirds majority requirement of 24 states necessary for constitutional amendments,
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has declared that the establishment of state police has moved from rhetoric to reality.
He assured the nation that the new decentralised security architecture will be fully ready on or before December 2026.
Speaking on the development, Bamidele noted that the overwhelming endorsement by regional parliaments reflects a sweeping national consensus to overhaul Nigeria’s security framework.
Under Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution, Nigeria has operated a single, centralized national police force, which critics argue is grossly inadequate to secure a population of over 200 million.
The relentless wave of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, and communal clashes across geopolitical zones finally forced a unified political will among federal and state actors.
According to the legislative timeline provided by the Senate Leader, the National Assembly plans to conclude all remaining legislative processes by December.
The bill will then be seamlessly transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for executive assent.
The presidency, state governors, and constitutional review committees have already aligned to fast-track its implementation.
To prevent administrative delays, the National Assembly strategically isolated the state police bill from other broad constitutional review items, voting on it independently.
Bamidele highlighted that extensive consultations with the Attorney-General’s office, the Chief of Staff to the President, and federal security agencies have cleared institutional bottlenecks.
While the constitutional breakthrough marks a historic victory, federal lawmakers are now pivoting toward designing strict operational frameworks.
Analysts stress that the upcoming implementation phase must balance local autonomy with robust safeguards to prevent regional politicians from weaponizing state forces against political opponents.
With 30 state assemblies formally on board, the structural transition of Nigerian policing is effectively locked in.
Security experts and citizens alike are watching closely as the government races against its self-imposed December 2026 deadline to roll out a localized, responsive law enforcement system.
