17 States Back Constitutional Amendment for State Police

The movement to establish State Police in Nigeria has intensified, with 17 State Houses of Assembly endorsing a constitutional amendment aimed at decentralizing policing. This initiative seeks to create State Police Services in response to ongoing security challenges.

The 17 states that have approved the amendment include Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara. To advance the amendment, at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly must support it, meaning seven more approvals are needed.

Recent endorsements came from Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, and Ekiti, where the House of Assembly passed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026. In Ekiti, Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye confirmed unanimous support from all 21 lawmakers present.

In Benue, Speaker Alfred Emberga and Majority Leader Peter Ipusu advocated for the amendment, emphasizing its potential to enhance grassroots intelligence and law enforcement. Anambra's Assembly also approved the bill during plenary.