The Senate has assured Nigerians that legislation paving the way for the establishment of state police will be enacted before the end of 2026.
The assurance followed the passage of the proposed constitutional amendment by the Ondo State House of Assembly on Monday, bringing the number of state legislatures that have approved the measure to 24—the constitutional threshold required for the amendment to proceed.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the National Assembly was determined to conclude the process before its Christmas break.
He described the state police bill as a priority in the ongoing constitutional review, adding that the National Assembly would consider the proposal expeditiously once the necessary documents were received from the executive.
“Already, we have promised Nigerians that before the end of this 10th National Assembly, a new police law will be enacted for Nigerians. And then, before we even leave for Christmas, it would have been done,” Adaramodu said.
The development comes as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submitted the draft National Policing Bill 2026 and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The working group, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, is expected to receive the validated drafts from the ministry by October 30 before submitting them for final consideration and onward transmission to President Bola Tinubu.
Gbajabiamila had earlier indicated that the proposed bill was about 90 per cent ready and would be transmitted to the National Assembly on October 29.
Adaramodu, however, said the Senate would wait for the executive’s formal communication before commenting on its proposed timeline.
Meanwhile, Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central, said the approval by 24 state Houses of Assembly meant the constitutional requirement had been met.
He said the bill would return to the National Assembly for verification of the submissions from the state legislatures.
Umeh said the National Assembly supported decentralised policing because of Nigeria’s size and the need to bring security operations closer to local communities.
According to him, state police would improve intelligence gathering and enable security agencies to respond more quickly to security threats.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to alter Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution by replacing the existing Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The Senate passed the Sixth Alteration Bill on June 24, followed by the House of Representatives. The National Assembly subsequently transmitted the proposal to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16 for consideration.
With 24 states having now approved the amendment, the process is expected to return to the National Assembly for verification and further legislative action.
Adaramodu expressed confidence that the process would be completed before the end of the year, saying lawmakers remained committed to establishing a new policing framework capable of strengthening security across the country.