Stonix News Correspondent
THE proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria has suffered a significant setback, with only five of the 36 State Houses of Assembly approving the bill ahead of the October 16 deadline set by the National Assembly.
The five states are Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara, leaving 31 others yet to communicate their positions on the proposed legislation .
The bill, transmitted to state legislatures on September 16, requires the approval of at least 24 State Houses of Assembly, representing two-thirds of the federation, before it can proceed for presidential assent.
Investigations revealed that several state legislatures, including Ogun, Delta, Abia, Anambra, Imo and Kaduna, are still reviewing the proposal, consulting stakeholders or planning public hearings before taking a final position .
The proposed amendment seeks to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system by establishing a Federal Police Service alongside state police services, empowering individual states to create and manage their own police formations.
The initiative has gained prominence amid worsening security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence.
While proponents believe state police would strengthen local security responses, critics have expressed concerns over possible political abuse by state governors.
Despite the slow pace of approvals, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, expressed confidence that the amendment would be concluded before the expiration of the 10th National Assembly in 2027 .
Adaramodu maintained that the Senate was not under pressure, stressing that the process would advance once the required 24 state legislatures endorsed the proposal.
Meanwhile, the Presidency disclosed on Thursday that the National Policing Bill, designed to provide the operational framework for state police, is 90 per cent ready .
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the disclosure after a steering committee meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the bill could be transmitted to the National Assembly within two weeks, following final consultations with governors and other stakeholders.
Gbajabiamila described the proposed legislation as one of the most consequential bills of the Tinubu administration, expressing optimism that the states would eventually support the constitutional amendment.
The legislation is expected to address policing standards, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and financial requirements for establishing state police service.
