The National Assembly is expected to forward the proposed State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday for assent, following its approval by 29 state Houses of Assembly.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, announced this during plenary on Wednesday, describing the development as a significant breakthrough in efforts to decentralise policing in Nigeria.
Kalu said the required endorsement by more than two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures had been secured, paving the way for the next stage of the constitutional amendment process.
He said, “The State Police Bill has received the backing of 29 State Assemblies. Later today, the Clerk to the National Assembly will transmit it to the President for assent.”
The proposed legislation seeks to allow state governments to establish and operate their own police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
The reform is expected to give state authorities greater control over security operations within their jurisdictions, while the Federal Government retains responsibility for the federal police structure.
Supporters of the proposal have argued that decentralising policing would improve security responses by enabling law enforcement agencies to address challenges peculiar to different communities.
The development marks another major step in the country’s efforts to amend the Constitution to accommodate state policing.
The bill is now awaiting presidential assent as part of the constitutional amendment process.
