Prologue

Unless something decisive happens in the next 12 days, the push for state police, widely canvassed as a response to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, is facing a fresh hurdle at the state Houses of Assembly, with only four states -Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers having so far approved the proposed constitutional amendment.

A panoramic view of the entire country and Sunday Vanguard’s checks show that several other state legislatures are yet to commence consideration of the bill, while some have said they are still awaiting its transmission from the National Assembly.

The development Is raising concerns over the pace of the constitutional amendment process, coming after the National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, seeking their concurrence.

The National Assembly had asked the state legislatures to communicate their resolutions within 30 days. However, the period is an administrative target and not a constitutional deadline.

Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, alteration of the Constitution requires approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, 24 legislatures, before the amendment can proceed to the next stage.

With only four states having approved the proposal so far, the measure still requires the support of 20 more Houses of Assembly to meet the constitutional threshold.

But the slow pace of consideration, coupled with claims by some assemblies that they have not received the bill, has thrown up questions over the readiness of the state legislatures to meet the National Assembly’s administrative timeline.

While some assemblies have commenced legislative processes on the proposal, others appear to be taking their time, potentially prolonging the journey of a reform that has remained a major component of Nigeria’s security debate.

South-West: Osun, Oyo approve bill, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun study draft

State Houses of Assembly in the South-West are at different stages of considering the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police, with Osun and Oyo approving the bill, while Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun are still examining the draft.

Lagos has endorsed the reform in principle and called for its accelerated passage, but its formal approval of the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly remains unclear.

In Ondo State, the House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of the draft amendment from the National Assembly, which has been distributed to the 26 lawmakers for study.

The Assembly’s spokesperson and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati, said the draft had been read during plenary before being circulated to members for their inputs.

Oshati said the lawmakers would deliberate on the document and forward their observations to the National Assembly within a short period.

We have received the draft from the National Assembly. We have read it on the floor of the House and subsequently distributed it to the 26 members of the Assembly to study,” he said.

He added that the House would consider the amendment under matters of urgent public importance before transmitting its position to the National Assembly.

In Ekiti State, the Assembly has also received the draft bill but is yet to begin deliberations.

Jide Agbeyo, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, confirmed receipt of the bill in a letter dated September 16, 2026, saying the House was prepared to commence the necessary legislative processes.

According to him, the bill must first undergo administrative procedures before being listed by the House Rules and Business Committee for formal consideration.

He assured that the Assembly would give the proposed legislation the necessary attention once the preliminary processes were completed.

However, Osun State has approved the bill, with the House of Assembly passing it clause by clause at plenary on September 22, 2026, without altering any of its provisions.

The Speaker’s spokesperson, Tiamiyu Olamide, said the resolution had been compiled by the Clerk and signed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

He said the House was expected to return its resolution within the stipulated 30-day period, adding that arrangements were underway to transmit the document.

In Oyo State, the House of Assembly has passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police and is preparing to transmit its resolution to the National Assembly.

The bill scaled its third reading at plenary on Tuesday after lawmakers constituted themselves into a Committee of the Whole and considered its provisions clause by clause.

The sitting was presided over by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin. The lawmakers approved the draft without amendments.

In Ogun State, the Assembly has constituted a committee to examine the proposed state police bill ahead of its consideration by the full House.

A source in the Assembly, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said no substantive action had been taken on the bill by the chamber.

The committee, comprising former Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, Deputy Speaker, Bolanle Ajayi, and Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherif Abiodun, among others, is expected to scrutinise the draft and submit a report to guide deliberations.

The committee is working within a framework established by the House, with its report expected to pave the way for formal consideration of the bill at plenary.

In Lagos State, the House of Assembly has publicly endorsed the establishment of state police, describing it as a major step towards addressing the country’s security challenges.

At plenary on July 8 and 9, 2026, the Assembly, presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, unanimously backed the proposed decentralisation of policing and urged the 36 state legislatures to expedite consideration of the constitutional amendment.

The resolution followed a motion titled “Support for the Establishment of State Police in Nigeria”, moved by Majority Leader, Noheem Adams, and Stephen Ogundipe, representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency I.

Despite the Assembly’s endorsement, however, the status of the formal legislative approval of the full constitutional amendment package transmitted by the National Assembly remains uncertain.

Checks by Sunday Vanguard indicated that the Lagos Assembly was still studying the draft bills, with no publicly confirmed record of a clause-by-clause vote on the entire package or the formal transmission of its resolution to the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Stephen Ogundipe, was unavailable for confirmation on the status of the process, while sources in the Assembly said members were still examining the documents ahead of a formal vote.

S-South states Rivers, Edo back bill; Delta consults, C/River begins debate, Bayelsa yet to act

In the South-South, the Rivers and Edo State Houses of Assembly have endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment for the establishment of state police, while Cross River has commenced consideration of the bill.

However, the proposal is yet to receive a formal response from the Bayelsa and Delta State Houses of Assembly, with the latter consulting stakeholders before taking a position.

In Rivers, the House, at plenary presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment transmitted by the National Assembly.

Amaewhule, after reading the letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly and presenting the proposed alterations, put the bill to a vote, which lawmakers unanimously supported.

He said the decision was informed by the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and support ongoing security reforms.

The Speaker said the bill contains 26 clauses, including 25 alterations involving substitutions to provisions of the principal Act.

He said the proposed amendment would provide a constitutional framework for establishing state police services while strengthening the National Assembly’s role in prescribing national minimum policing standards.

The House is expected to formally communicate its resolution to the National Assembly.

In Edo, the House also granted concurrence to the constitutional amendment.

Leading the debate, Majority Leader, Osezua Ojiezele, urged lawmakers to support the proposal.

Donald Okogbe said the establishment of state police would create employment opportunities, while Charity Aiguobarueghian said it would strengthen security at the community level.

Edosa Richard advocated the creation of an Edo State Police Commission, while Kingsley Ugabi and Maria Edeko said the proposal would help restore peace in communities.

The motion for concurrence, moved by Ojiezele and seconded by Minority Leader, Natasha Osawaru, was overwhelmingly carried.

Speaker Idaiye Yekini directed the Clerk to forward clean copies of the resolution to the National Assembly.

In Cross River, the House has begun consideration of the bill after taking its First Reading.

The proposal, titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters, seeks to establish state police while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Police Service.

Speaker Elvert Ayambem said the bill would undergo the normal legislative process of consideration and debate before the House takes a position.

In Delta, the Assembly confirmed receipt of the bill but has not disclosed its position.

The Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Nkem Nwaeke, said the House was consulting critical stakeholders before taking a position.

In Bayelsa, the House was yet to debate or vote on the proposed amendment as of September 25.

Sources said the bill had been received but lawmakers had not formally considered it. One source attributed the delay to the Assembly’s prolonged absence from plenary, while another said lawmakers were awaiting the governor’s position.

The Assembly last sat on August 18.

Bill drags in Northern Assemblies

The proposed constitutional amendment to establish State Police is facing delays in several Northern states, with many Houses of Assembly yet to receive, schedule or commence deliberations on the bill transmitted by the National Assembly.

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard showed that while some assemblies have received the bill, they are yet to take a position, weeks after its transmission.

Others, including Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, Taraba and Gombe, said they were yet to receive the communication from the National Assembly and therefore could not commence consideration.

The bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment and operation of State Police Services as part of efforts to decentralise policing and strengthen security.

In Taraba, the House said it was yet to receive the harmonised version of the proposed constitutional alteration.

Chairman, House Committee on Information, Nelson Len, said the Assembly could not commence consideration until the National Assembly formally transmitted the document.

He assured that once received, the House would subject it to legislative scrutiny and public consultation.

In Kano, the Assembly also said it was yet to receive the bill.

The Speaker’s spokesman, Kamaludeen Sani Shawwai, said the House could not deliberate on a document it had not officially received.

Similarly, the Kwara House of Assembly said it was yet to receive the communication from the National Assembly.

Chairman, House Committee on Information and Sports, Hon. Rukayat Shittu, confirmed that the draft had not been officially transmitted to the Assembly.

The Kebbi Assembly also said it had not received the communication, while Gombe lawmakers are equally yet to receive the bill.

In Kogi, however, the House acknowledged receipt but has yet to deliberate on it. Deputy Clerk, Bayo Aka, said the matter could come up when the Assembly resumes from its break on October 6.

In Yobe, the bill was received on September 29 but has not been listed on the Order Paper for consideration.

Legal Secretary to the Assembly, Ibrahim Madaki, said: “The bill has been received by the House, but it has not yet been listed in the proceedings or Order Paper for consideration.”

The Borno Assembly has received and read the bill at plenary but has yet to deliberate on it or take a position.

Clerk of the House, Shettima Garba, said lawmakers needed adequate time to study its possible implications for citizens.

In Adamawa, the bill has been sent to the House, but is yet to be formally presented at plenary. Chairman, House Committee on Information, Mohammed Kalam Musa, said the Speaker had briefed lawmakers about it.

The Benue Assembly Is also yet to commence consideration.

In Nasarawa, Speaker Danladi Jatau confirmed that the House received the bill from the Clerk of the National Assembly on September 18.

“Yes, we are in receipt of the State Police Bill from the Clerk of the National Assembly. We received it last Friday,” Jatau said, adding that lawmakers would study the proposal before taking the necessary legislative steps.

In Zamfara, the bill has been received but no action has been taken. Speaker Bulyaminu Moriki said the Assembly was yet to schedule it for deliberation.

The Sokoto Assembly has also received the bill but is yet to begin debate.

Deputy Speaker Kabiru Ibrahim Kware said the proposal would be carefully studied before deliberation.

“We have received the bill from the National Assembly, but we have not commenced deliberation on it yet,” he said.

He added that lawmakers would analyse its provisions and implications before taking a position.

In Bauchi, lawmakers confirmed receipt of the bill and constituted a committee headed by Deputy Speaker Jamilu Ummaru Dahiru to examine it. The committee was given two weeks to submit its report to the House.

Plateau is currently the only Northern state identified in the report where formal consideration has commenced.

The House received the communication through Governor Caleb Mutfwang, after which Majority Leader Joseph Gokum moved the motion for consideration of the State Police Bill. It was seconded by Matthew Sylvanus Kwarpo.

Speaker Naanlong Daniel subsequently read the communication before the House and directed the Clerk to proceed with the first reading.

S-East Assemblies Yet to debate State Police Bill

Houses of Assembly in most South-East states have yet to commence consideration of the State Police Bill recently transmitted to state legislatures by the National Assembly.

Under the constitutional amendment process, at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly are required to approve the proposed amendments before they can take effect.

In Anambra, the House of Assembly is yet to commence debate on the bill. However, Speakers of the five South-East Houses of Assembly, at a recent meeting in Awka, agreed in principle on the need for State Police and resolved to sustain collaboration toward achieving uniform legislative practices and improved security across the zone.

A committee saddled with collating and harmonising inputs from the states is already working, sources said.

In Abia, the House will take a position when lawmakers resume on October 6, Acting Clerk, Pastor Promise Onwukwe, said.

He told Sunday Vanguard in Umuahia that lawmakers could not vote individually, stressing that the decision must be taken collectively on the floor.

“The House is currently on recess and will resume on Tuesday, October 6. Members cannot vote in isolation; it must be done in the hallowed chambers. So, when they resume, I believe they will do the needful,” he said.

A lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bill was before the House for consideration and that members would vote Yes or No when the Speaker calls for it.

In Enugu, the House has yet to formally introduce or deliberate on the proposed State Police legislation.

Similarly, the Imo State House of Assembly, which resumed from its two-month annual recess last week, did not consider the bill during plenary. The next sitting is expected on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly has received the bill and promised an accelerated consideration.

Speaker Moses Ijie Odunwa, confirmed receipt of the bill, saying the Assembly would give it the necessary accelerated hearing and deliberation.

Odunwa said the legislation was aimed at strengthening the safety and security of lives and property in Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large. (Sunday Vanguard

Update news