The Nigerian Senate has reported that 30 State Houses of Assembly approved the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police, as parliamentary accounts indicate that the National Assembly moved to transmit the measure to President Bola Tinubu.
The announcement marks a significant legislative milestone in Nigeria’s long-running debate over decentralising policing.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed the updated approval figure during proceedings on November 4, according to official reporting.
A day earlier, the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly had confirmed receiving and verifying approvals from 28 state legislatures.
The increase to 30 means that, on the Senate’s reported figures, the proposal has exceeded the minimum state-assembly approval threshold under the ordinary constitutional alteration procedure.
However, the reported approvals do not mean that state police have been established or that state governments can immediately begin operating independent police forces.
From 28 Approvals to 30
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, announced on November 3 that 28 State Houses of Assembly had approved the proposed amendment.
According to the Clerk’s statement, the bill had been transmitted to the 36 state legislatures on September 16.
His office said it had received and verified the resolutions, including accompanying legislative records.
By November 4, the Senate reported that the approval count had risen to 30.
The development indicates substantial legislative support for the proposed constitutional change.
Nevertheless, IDNN has not independently examined all 30 state-assembly resolutions or the final authenticated amendment text.
National Assembly Reports Transmission to Tinubu
Parliamentary reporting on November 4 indicated that the National Assembly had directed the transmission of the proposed constitutional amendment to President Tinubu.
According to TheCable’s November 4 report, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau informed the Senate of a communication from the Clerk concerning the transmission.
The reported step followed the announcement that the proposal had secured more than the minimum number of state-assembly approvals.
However, IDNN has not independently obtained the presidential transmission instrument or an acknowledgement of receipt.
The precise legal status of the amendment and any remaining formal requirements must be established from the authenticated legislative record and applicable constitutional provisions.
The reported transmission should not be confused with presidential assent or the commencement of state policing.
What the Constitution Requires
Section 9(2) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution establishes the ordinary procedure for constitutional alteration.
It requires the prescribed two-thirds majority in each chamber of the National Assembly and approval by resolutions of at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly.
With 36 states, the minimum state-assembly threshold is 24.
On the Senate’s reported figures, the 30 approvals exceed that requirement by six states.
The approval count represents approximately 83 per cent of the country’s state legislatures.
However, the complete constitutional status of the proposal must be assessed against the authenticated legislative record, including the relevant National Assembly votes and state resolutions.
The state-assembly count alone does not establish that every applicable requirement has been satisfied.
Six Assemblies Given November 15 Deadline
The Senate also gave six outstanding State Houses of Assembly until November 15 to communicate their decisions.
The six states identified in reporting of the November 4 proceedings were Abia, Benue, Cross River, Kano, Niger and Oyo.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio reportedly indicated that assemblies failing to respond by the deadline would be treated as having withheld approval.
However, the absence of a formally transmitted resolution does not necessarily mean an assembly rejected the amendment.
An assembly may have considered or approved a proposal without completing the process required for its decision to be reflected in the National Assembly’s count.
The six-state list and the status of individual resolutions remain subject to confirmation against the official parliamentary record.
Even without additional approvals, the Senate’s reported figure of 30 exceeds the ordinary state-assembly threshold of 24.
What State Police Could Change
Nigeria’s policing structure is predominantly organised around the federally controlled Nigeria Police Force.
A constitutional framework permitting state police could significantly change how policing authority is distributed between the federal government and the states.
Supporters argue that decentralised policing could improve local intelligence gathering, response times and coordination with communities facing security threats.
They contend that state governments often have detailed knowledge of local security challenges but limited direct control over conventional police operations.
However, the proposed amendment also raises important questions about command structures, recruitment, funding and accountability.
Critics have warned that state-controlled police institutions could be vulnerable to political interference, particularly during elections and disputes involving state authorities.
The eventual framework would therefore need clear safeguards against abuse, including professional standards and effective oversight.
IDNN has not independently authenticated the amendment text and cannot confirm the precise powers or accountability arrangements it proposes.
Why Implementation Matters
Constitutional authorisation would be only one stage in establishing a functioning state-police system.
Depending on the final legal framework, implementation could require enabling legislation, institutional arrangements, recruitment, training, funding and operational oversight.
States also have differing financial capacities, raising questions about their ability to maintain professional police services.
A sustainable framework would need to address these differences while protecting citizens’ constitutional rights.
The central challenge is whether decentralised policing can improve public safety without creating additional opportunities for political intimidation or abuse.
What Happens Next?
The immediate developments to monitor are the formal status of the amendment following its reported transmission, any subsequent action by the relevant authorities and the November 15 deadline for outstanding state-assembly resolutions.
The authenticated amendment text will also be essential to determining how federal and state policing responsibilities would be organised.
For now, the Senate’s reported approval count represents an important legislative milestone in the debate over state police.
It does not establish that state police services are already legally constituted or operational.
IDNN Politics & Governance Desk