The National Assembly has sent the 2026 Constitution amendment bill to all 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration, bringing the proposed creation of state police closer to a key stage of the legislative process.
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The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, was transmitted to the state legislatures on Wednesday, September 16, as required under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, announced the transmission in a statement, urging the assemblies to consider the proposals and forward their decisions to the National Assembly.
State lawmakers are expected to communicate their resolutions within 30 days of receiving the bill.
However, Ogunlana clarified that the period is an administrative timeframe and does not constitute a constitutional deadline.
For the proposed amendment to advance, at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly must approve it. This represents the constitutionally required two-thirds threshold.
The state police proposal is aimed at changing Nigeria's current policing structure by allowing states to establish and operate their own police forces.
Supporters of the proposal have linked it to efforts to improve security responses and address the country's diverse security challenges at the local level.
The amendment package also contains proposals on local government autonomy, independent candidacy and reserved legislative seats for women, alongside other electoral and governance reforms.
The 36 State Houses of Assembly will now consider the proposals under their respective legislative procedures before transmitting their resolutions to the National Assembly.
Once the responses are received, the National Assembly is expected to determine the next steps in the constitutional amendment process.
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