State Police Bill Scales Hurdle as 24 State Assemblies Approve Amendment – Gbajabiamila – Gbajabiamila

The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for a dual policing system, has met the constitutional threshold of two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has said.

Chairman of the group and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the bill had been approved by 24 State Houses of Assembly.

“The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill notes with satisfaction that the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for a dual policing system, has been approved by 24 State Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutional threshold of two-thirds of the 36 states,” the statement said.

“The Working Group commends the State Houses of Assembly for their decisive action on this reform of national importance and appreciates the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both chambers.”

Gbajabiamila said that, in line with Section 9 of the Constitution, the amendment could now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The approval is expected to provide constitutional backing for the policing framework that the working group’s draft National Policing Bill, 2026, is designed to implement.

The group stated that its efforts remained on track, adding that the draft bills were undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice and were expected to be returned on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.

“Thereafter, the Group will give them final consideration before presenting them to Mr President,” it added.
“The Working Group urges all stakeholders to support a smooth transition to a dual policing system that makes Nigerians safer.”

On October 19, the Presidential Working Group announced that it had completed the drafting stage of its assignment and formally submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 29 consequential amendment bills, to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.

The Justice Ministry’s review is aimed at ensuring that the bills conform to legislative drafting standards and conventions and do not conflict with existing laws.

“The Ministry of Justice is expected to return the validated draft bills to the Working Group on or before Friday, 30th October 2026. The Working Group will then give the validated bills final consideration before presenting them to Mr President, thereby concluding its mandate,” Gbajabiamila had said.

The proposed policing bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services to improve security at the grassroots.