Five States Approve Constitutional Amendment for State Police

As of October 15, 2026, five out of Nigeria's 36 state Houses of Assembly have approved a proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police. The states that passed the amendment are Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and Zamfara.

This amendment aims to decentralise Nigeria's policing structure and create a constitutional basis for state-level police services. Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, at least two-thirds of the state assemblies, or 24 out of 36, must approve the bill for it to be sent to the president for assent.

The National Assembly transmitted the bill to state legislatures on September 16, 2026, after its passage by the Senate on June 24 and the House of Representatives on July 23. State assemblies were given 30 days to communicate their positions, with the deadline closing on October 16.

Despite the deadline, the House of Representatives has not issued any formal statement regarding the outcome or next steps.