Nigeria's National Assembly has begun arrangements to transmit the proposed State Police Bill to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent, after 28 State Houses of Assembly approved the constitutional amendment — more than the 24 required, two-thirds of the 36 states, under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed in a statement on Tuesday 3 November 2026 that his office had received and verified the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings from the 28 state legislatures. The bill is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which seeks to provide for State Police Services alongside the federal police.

What happens next — and what it does not mean yet

The Senate passed the bill on 24 June 2026 and the House of Representatives on 23 July 2026, before it was forwarded to all 36 state assemblies on 16 September. The 30-day period for state responses expired on 15 October, but further reports can still be received until transmission. Approval alone does not mean state police are operational: presidential assent is still needed, and a separate operational framework, including funding, recruitment and oversight, would still have to be put in place.

Supporters argue decentralisation would improve local intelligence and response times against kidnapping, banditry and terrorism. Critics have raised concerns about political interference, governors using state police against opponents, and whether state governments can fund the forces. A full list of the 28 states is not published here, because secondary reproductions of the list do not agree on every name.

Sources: ThisDay, 28 State Assemblies Have Approved The Bill — NASS Moves To Transmit State Police Amendment To Tinubu For Assent, 4 November 2026; Reuters via Kat Country, 3 November 2026.