morganaBLE Politics/Governance
He noted that the endorsement by 30 states had exceeded the minimum requirement of 24 states, paving the way for the completion of the legislative process.
KaNo —
The National Assembly has begun collating reports from state Houses of Assembly on the proposed establishment of state police, following the approval of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026, by at least 30 states across the federation.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed this on Thursday, saying the number of states that had endorsed the bill had surpassed the constitutional threshold required for its passage.
Bamidele, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the National Assembly was working towards completing the remaining legislative processes and transmitting the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent before the end of December 2026.
He made the disclosure while delivering a lecture to participants of Senior Executive Course 48 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State.
According to him, the approval of the bill by 30 state legislatures represents a major breakthrough in efforts to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system and address worsening insecurity across the country.
The Senate Leader explained that Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly for constitutional alteration.
He noted that the endorsement by 30 states had exceeded the minimum requirement of 24 states, paving the way for the completion of the legislative process.
“We are pleased to inform our constituents across the federation that state police has moved from rhetoric to reality. We have already received formal reports from the state Houses of Assembly and, as of today, no fewer than 30 states have approved the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026,” Bamidele said.
He described the development as a historic achievement in the country’s efforts to reform its security architecture and establish a policing system capable of responding more effectively to local security challenges.
The lawmaker explained that the National Assembly would now consider the reports submitted by state legislatures, collate their positions and pass a resolution by a simple majority in both chambers.
He said the bill would subsequently be forwarded to President Tinubu for assent, marking the final stage of the constitutional amendment process.
“What happens next is procedural, but critical. The National Assembly is now constitutionally obligated to consider the reports transmitted by the state Houses of Assembly, collate those reports, and pass a resolution by simple majority of members in both chambers,” he explained.
Bamidele assured Nigerians that the lawmakers were committed to completing the process within the stipulated timeline.
“We have set a clear timeline for ourselves. We intend to conclude all these legislative stages consideration of reports, passage of resolution, and transmission for presidential assent on or before December 2026,” he stated.
The proposed establishment of state police has remained a subject of national debate for years, particularly amid increasing incidents of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and communal violence in different parts of the country.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under the Nigeria Police Force, with security administration largely controlled by the Federal Government.
Supporters of decentralised policing believe that state-controlled police services would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community participation and ensure faster responses to security threats.
However, critics have expressed concerns that state governors could deploy such institutions against political opponents or use them to undermine democratic freedoms.
Responding to these concerns, Bamidele maintained that the proposed policing arrangement would operate under clearly defined constitutional provisions, accountability mechanisms and human rights protections.
He explained that the reform was not designed to establish separate state armies or weaken federal security institutions but to create community-oriented policing structures capable of addressing local challenges.
The senator said state governments would be better positioned to develop security strategies reflecting the peculiar circumstances of their communities.
He described the endorsement of the bill as the culmination of more than 15 years of unsuccessful efforts to introduce state policing through constitutional amendments.
“What this means is that state police is no longer a campaign promise or a subject of endless debate. It is now a constitutional reality,” he said.
Bamidele added that the development demonstrated the priority of the 10th National Assembly attached to protecting lives and property.
He credited the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio with providing the necessary legislative support for the proposed reform.
According to him, the National Assembly remains determined to ensure that Nigerians enjoy improved security irrespective of their geographical location.
“We will not falter until every Nigerian, whether in Kuru, in Iyin-Ekiti, in Gusau or in Yenagoa, can sleep with both eyes closed,” he declared.
Beyond security reforms, the Senate Leader said the current National Assembly had prioritised legislation aimed at improving economic development, social welfare, institutional accountability and democratic governance.
He argued that the effectiveness of a legislature should not be measured solely by the number of bills passed but by the practical benefits such laws deliver to citizens.
Bamidele identified the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, the Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the four Tax Reform Acts of 2025 as examples of legislation intended to address pressing national challenges.
He also mentioned the National Social Investment Programme Act, Electoral Act, 2026, Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act and Investments and Securities Act, 2025.
Others included the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act, 2024, and the Regional Development Commissions Acts.
According to him, the legislation reflected the Assembly’s commitment to strengthening institutions, improving public financial management and promoting sustainable development.
The senator said effective lawmaking must anticipate emerging national challenges rather than merely respond to existing problems.
He identified education, healthcare, technological innovation, environmental sustainability, electoral credibility and intergovernmental relations as critical areas requiring continuous legislative attention.
Bamidele also called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and NIPSS to enhance policy research, legislative planning and evidence-based decision-making.
He maintained that legislative achievements would have little significance without adequate implementation, funding, monitoring and periodic evaluation.
The Senate Leader stressed that good governance depended not only on the enactment of laws but also on their ability to produce measurable improvements in citizens’ living conditions.
“We require laws that are relevant, evidence-based, implementable, adequately funded, properly administered, effectively monitored, periodically reviewed and ultimately measured by their impact on citizens,” he stated.
With the constitutional threshold for state legislative approval now met, attention shifts to the National Assembly’s final consideration of the reports and the anticipated transmission of the state police amendment bill for presidential assent.
