State Police: Benue, Ogun, Delta, Enugu, Others Approve Constitution Amendment, Draft Bill Heads To Justice Ministry

The push for state police in Nigeria has gained fresh momentum as Benue, Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara, Cross River, Enugu and Nasarawa State Houses of Assembly have approved the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for the establishment of State Police Services.

They join Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara which had earlier endorsed the constitutional amendment required to institute state policing.

The proposed alteration bill amends Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to replace the single Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services as part of efforts to address the country’s security challenges.

The bill was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, for consideration. Under Section 9 of the Constitution, an amendment requires approval of at least two-thirds of the state assemblies, representing 24 states.

In Benue, the House adopted the bill during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga. The executive bill was presented by Majority Leader Hon. Peter Bemdoo Ipusu, who urged accelerated consideration.

Ipusu said state policing would improve grassroots intelligence gathering, quicker response to emergencies, address peculiar threats such as rural banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and urban crime, and allow the federal police to focus on national security. He also cited employment generation and stronger accountability.

Speaker Emberga directed the Clerk to transmit the decision to the National Assembly.

In Ogun, the Assembly passed resolution H.R. No. 194/OG/2025-2026 on Tuesday following a report by the Ad-hoc Committee on Constitutional Review chaired by former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo. Members voted in favour of all 26 clauses. Speaker Daisi Elemide described the decision as historic and said a clean copy would be transmitted to the National Assembly.

In Delta, all 23 members present at plenary on Tuesday unanimously approved the bill. Majority Leader Emeka Nwaobi said the dual policing system would guarantee security of lives and property and address insecurity at local levels.

Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, who is also Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, said it was a significant step towards responsive community policing.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill said it has submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.

In a statement Tuesday, Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the submission was made on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney-General of the Federation.

He said the ministry’s review will ensure conformity with legislative drafting standards and avoid conflict with existing laws, and is expected to return validated drafts on or before October 30, 2026, for final consideration before presentation to President Bola Tinubu.

Gbajabiamila said the bill seeks to establish the constitutional and legislative framework for a dual policing structure. President Tinubu had inaugurated the seven-member Working Group on July 7 to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft.