WorldStage– Momentum is building for Nigeria’s security sector reform as five additional state Houses of Assembly have passed the constitutional amendment bill to establish state police, raising the total to 10.
The assemblies of Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara, and Adamawa have also endorsed the legislative proposal, providing a major boost to the decentralisation of the country’s security architecture.
These five states join Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and Zamfara, which had earlier approved the piece of legislation.
This brings the total number of supportive state legislatures to ten, although recent updates indicate others like Cross River are quickly joining the tally as assemblies rush to vote.
The proposed legislation, formally known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, aims to alter Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution.
If successful, it will dismantle the current centralised system, replacing the singular Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services tailored to handle localized security challenges.
While the approvals mark significant progress, the bill still faces a steep legislative hurdle.
Under Section 9(2) of the Nigerian Constitution, any constitutional amendment requires the explicit consent of at least two-thirds of the state assemblies.
This means proponents must secure at least 24 out of the 36 states before the bill can be returned to Abuja for presidential assent.
The legislative push coincides with critical executive action as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, October 19, 2026 submitted its draft national policing legislation and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice.
The ministry is expected to finish its legal review by October 30, 2026, after which it will be transmitted to the President for final policy consideration.
Advocates argue that a decentralized police force is the only viable answer to Nigeria’s increasingly complex and localized security threats.
However, the debate remains contentious, as several states continue to deliberate amidst concerns over funding sustainability and the potential for political abuse by state governors.
With the National Assembly closely monitoring the submissions, the next few weeks will determine whether the remaining states will provide the required numbers to turn state policing into a constitutional reality.
