State Police Bill Hits Roadblock in States Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers approve; others drag feet

BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

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, may face another 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 assessment of the country by Sunday Vanguard showed that several other state legislatures are yet to commence consideration of the bill, while some said they were still awaiting its transmission from the National Assembly.

The development has raised 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 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, an alteration of the Constitution requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly — that is, 24 legislatures — before the amendment can proceed to the next stage.

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

The slow pace of consideration, coupled with claims by some assemblies that they are yet to receive the bill, has raised questions about 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

By Dayo Johnson, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Rotimi Ojomoyela, Shina Abubakar, James Ogunnaike & Adeola Badru

State Houses of Assembly across 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 and distributed it to the 26 lawmakers for study.

The Assembly’s spokesperson and Chairman of the 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.

“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 commence 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.

In Osun State, however, the House of Assembly has approved the bill, 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 also 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 its 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.

South-South: Rivers, Edo back bill; Delta consults, Cross River begins debate, Bayelsa yet to act

By Egufe Yafugborhi, Daniel Abia, Ike Uchechukwu, Emem Idio, Ochuko Akuopha & Ozioruva Aliu

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 State, 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 State, 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 State, 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 State, 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 State, 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.