24 State Houses of Assembly Approve New Policing Bill in Nigeria

The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, has been approved by 24 out of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly. This approval meets the requirement of two-thirds needed for the bill to move forward, according to the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill.

Femi Gbajabiamila, who is the Chief of Staff to the President, announced the news in a statement. He praised the state assemblies for their quick action on this important reform and thanked the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both of its chambers.

With this approval, the bill can now be sent back to the National Assembly. It will then be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for his approval. The bill aims to provide a legal framework for a dual policing system in Nigeria.

The Working Group noted that the draft bills are currently being reviewed and validated by the Federal Ministry of Justice. They expect to complete this process by October 30, 2026. After that, the group will finalize the bills before presenting them to the President.

They also encouraged all stakeholders to support the transition to this new policing system, which is intended to enhance safety for Nigerians.