igeria’s proposed state police system has moved closer to reality, with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele saying 30 state Houses of Assembly have approved the constitutional amendment bill.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele says the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026, has secured approval from 30 state Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutional threshold required for the proposed reform to advance.
Bamidele said the National Assembly would work to complete the remaining legislative stages and transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent on or before December 2026.
The development marks a significant step towards the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria, a reform that has featured prominently in debates over insecurity and the country’s policing structure.
The proposal is expected to reshape policing responsibilities by creating room for state-level police structures alongside the existing federal police system.
Bamidele described the progress as a shift “from rhetoric to reality”, signalling that the proposal was moving beyond years of political discussion towards possible implementation.
However, the bill must still complete the outstanding legislative requirements before it can be presented to the president for assent.
The proposed reform comes amid persistent concerns over insecurity across several parts of Nigeria and renewed calls for a policing system that can respond more effectively to local security challenges.
If enacted, the constitutional amendment could mark a major change in Nigeria’s approach to policing, although its eventual impact would depend on the legal framework, funding arrangements, accountability safeguards and implementation measures put in place.
