The proposed establishment of state police has secured the backing of 28 state assemblies, with Lagos, Kano, Sokoto and Ebonyi joining the list of states that have approved the constitutional amendment.
The four assemblies unanimously endorsed the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, during plenary sessions on Tuesday, advancing efforts to create a legal framework for state police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
The latest approvals bring the number of supporting states to 28, exceeding the constitutional requirement of 24 states, or two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies, for an alteration of the 1999 Constitution.
The bill proposes a dual policing structure in which federal and state police services would operate side by side, with their respective powers and responsibilities defined by law.
Presenting the proposal before the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Deputy Majority Leader Mustapha Abdullahi said the federal police would handle matters including terrorism, cybercrime, interstate and international crimes, border security and the protection of federal assets.
State police, under the proposal, would focus on local law enforcement, public order, community safety and the investigation of crimes within their jurisdictions.
The proposal also provides for state police commanders to be appointed by governors on the recommendation of the National Police Council, subject to confirmation by state assemblies. A State Police Service Commission would oversee the appointment, promotion and discipline of personnel, apart from the state police commander.
In Ebonyi, all 24 lawmakers voted in favour of the amendment. Speaker Moses Odunwa said the proposed system could improve access to criminal intelligence and strengthen local responses to security threats.
The Lagos State House of Assembly also unanimously backed the bill after reconvening from recess to consider the amendment. Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, however, called for clearer definitions of the powers and responsibilities of federal and state police.
Obasa also advocated constitutional provisions for parliamentary police to protect legislative institutions and preserve their independence from executive interference.
The Kano Assembly passed the bill after considering its 26 clauses, while lawmakers in Sokoto adopted it following a motion by Abdullahi.
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, had earlier announced that 24 state assemblies had approved the amendment, meeting the constitutional threshold.
The National Assembly transmitted the bill to the state assemblies on September 16. The draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 related bills are also undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The proposed legislation is expected to establish the operational framework for the new policing structure if the constitutional amendment process is completed.
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