Nigeria's National Assembly Sends State Police Bill to President

The National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is transmitting the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to President Bola Tinubu for final assent. The bill proposes a transition from a centralized policing system to a dual structure of federal and state services, granting governors the authority to appoint commissioners of police subject to legislative confirmation.

Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana confirmed on November 3, 2026, that 28 state Houses of Assembly approved the amendment. This exceeds the constitutional threshold of 24 states, or two-thirds of the 36 legislatures, required under Section 9 of the Constitution. The bill had previously passed the Senate on June 24, 2026, and the House of Representatives on July 23, 2026, before being transmitted to state legislatures on September 16, 2026.

Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele stated the intention to complete all remaining legislative processes and transmit the amendment to the president before December 2026. Proponents argue the decentralization will improve local intelligence and response times to terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry. However, critics warn that state governors could use local police to intimidate political opponents and raise concerns regarding funding and human rights protections.