NASS prepares State Police Bill for presidential assent

• 28 state assemblies approve constitutional amendment

By Haruna Salami

The National Assembly has received official approval reports from 28 State Houses of Assembly for a proposed constitutional amendment to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, paving the way for the bill to be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.

The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly confirmed the development in a statement signed by the Clerk, Kamoru Ogunlana, Esq., on Tuesday, noting that the number of concurring states has surpassed the constitutionally required threshold.

According to the statement, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill—which provides for the creation of State Police Services and related operational frameworks—was transmitted to all 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration.

While the initial 30-day window for response expired on October 15, 2026, the Clerk’s office noted that it will continue receiving resolutions from the remaining state assemblies until the final document is submitted to the President.

Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional alteration bill requires approval from at least two-thirds of the country’s state legislatures (24 out of 36 states).

With 28 state assemblies approving the resolution, the bill has satisfied the legal requirement.

The Office of the Clerk confirmed it has completed administrative verification of the reports alongside their accompanying votes and proceedings to ensure the documentation accurately reflects the votes cast by each state legislature.

The statement also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not mandate a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, distinguishing it from standard legislative bills.

The National Assembly is now finalizing administrative processes to transmit the bill to President Tinubu in line with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2 (LEN) 2004.

Legislative leadership thanked the State Houses of Assembly for their cooperation, describing the passage as a major milestone toward decentralizing Nigeria’s security architecture and strengthening its federal structure.