The Senate has assured Nigerians that legislation to establish state police will be enacted before the end of 2026, following the approval of the proposed constitutional amendment by the required number of state Houses of Assembly.
The assurance was given by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, who said that the National Assembly was determined to conclude the process before the Christmas break.
The development follows the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, by the Ondo State House of Assembly on Monday. The bill seeks to establish state police services in Nigeria.
With Ondo’s approval, 24 state assemblies have passed the proposed amendment, meeting the constitutionally required two-thirds threshold.
Adaramodu said the proposed legislation was a priority in the ongoing constitutional review process and would be considered expeditiously once the necessary proposals were received from the executive.
The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The working group, chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the ministry was expected to return the validated drafts by October 30 for further consideration before presentation to President Bola Tinubu for approval and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central, said the approval by 24 state assemblies meant the constitutional amendment had met the required threshold and would return to the National Assembly for verification.
Umeh argued that decentralised policing would bring security operations closer to communities, improve intelligence gathering and enable more timely responses to local security threats.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to alter Section 214 of the Constitution to replace the existing Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
