Nigeria's State Police Initiative Advances with 24 Approvals

Nigeria's initiative for State Police has reached a significant milestone as 24 State Houses of Assembly approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which establishes a dual policing system. This approval meets the constitutional requirement of two-thirds support from the 36 states, allowing the amendment to return to the National Assembly for further processing before being sent to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, confirmed the development, emphasizing its importance in restructuring Nigeria's policing framework. Reports indicate that the number of states supporting the amendment may have risen to 25, with Gombe included in independent tallies.

The Working Group commended the decisive actions of the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly for their prior support of the amendment, marking a potential end to federal control over conventional policing since the return to democracy in 1999.