Nigeria Meets Threshold for Dual Policing System Amendment

Twenty-four Nigerian state Houses of Assembly have approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, meeting the two-thirds constitutional threshold required to establish a dual policing system. The amendment will replace the single Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services to address national security challenges.

Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, announced that the bill can now return to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent. The approval includes 14 southern and 10 northern states, while 12 states, including Lagos, Kano, and Sokoto, have not yet endorsed the measure.

The National Assembly previously passed the amendment in both chambers. Parallel to the constitutional process, the draft National Policing Bill is undergoing review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. This draft is expected to be returned by October 30, 2026, for final consideration before it is presented to the president.