Nigerian States Approve Constitutional Amendment for State Police
Multiple Nigerian state assemblies have approved a constitutional amendment to establish state police forces, meeting the two-thirds majority required for presidential assent.
The Government of Nigeria has reached a critical milestone in decentralizing its security architecture as several state legislatures approved the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026. Between October 26 and 27, the Houses of Assembly in Ondo, Kano, Kogi, and Lagos all endorsed the amendment to establish state police services.
Ondo State passed the bill on Monday, bringing the total number of endorsing states to 25. This surpassed the two-thirds majority requirement of Nigeria's 36 states necessary for the bill's enactment. On Tuesday, Kano and Kogi followed suit. Lawmakers in Kogi argued that local officers would possess superior terrain knowledge to combat terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping compared to the federal Nigeria Police Force.
In Lagos, the House of Assembly unanimously approved the bill, though Speaker Mudashiru Obasa raised concerns regarding the level of federal control remaining in the framework. Obasa specifically advocated for the creation of a Parliamentary Police to protect legislative institutions from political interference by governors. The reform, initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and passed by the National Assembly, now proceeds for presidential assent.
