The National Assembly will on Wednesday transmit the proposed State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent, following its endorsement by 29 of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, announced this during plenary on Wednesday, describing the development as a major breakthrough in the country's quest to decentralise its policing system.

Kalu expressed satisfaction with the level of support received from the state legislatures, noting that the required constitutional amendment approval had been secured.

According to him, the Clerk to the National Assembly would forward the bill to the President later on Wednesday for assent.

“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,” Kalu said.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Constitution to empower state governments to establish and operate their own police forces, while maintaining the Nigeria Police Force at the federal level.

The move is expected to introduce a decentralised policing arrangement that would give states greater control over security operations within their respective jurisdictions.

The proposed reform comes amid longstanding calls for a restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, with advocates arguing that a centralised police system faces challenges in effectively addressing the country’s diverse security threats.

With the approval of 29 state legislatures, the bill has crossed the required two-thirds threshold, paving the way for its transmission to the President as part of the constitutional amendment process.

More to come…