Nigeria State Police Bill: National Assembly to Transmit for Tinubu Assent

• The National Assembly is prepared to transmit the State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu for his assent, signaling a major shift in Nigeria's security framework.
• The bill has secured approval from 28 State Houses of Assembly, surpassing the constitutional requirement of 24 states for such an alteration.
• The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill aims to facilitate the establishment of State Police Services.
• The Presidency has requested the Organised Private Sector to formulate a financing and implementation plan, citing insecurity's detrimental impact on businesses.
• Former Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro, has proposed safeguards to prevent potential abuse of state police powers by state governors.

The imminent presidential assent to the State Police Bill in Nigeria will fundamentally alter the country's security and legal landscape, introducing a dual policing structure.

Nigeria's National Assembly is on the verge of transmitting the State Police Bill to President Bola Tinubu for his presidential assent, a move anticipated to occur within the coming days. This significant legislative step follows months of deliberation and has cleared crucial constitutional hurdles, paving the way for a fundamental shift in the nation's security architecture. The proposed legislation has garnered widespread support across the country, signifying a broad consensus on the need for decentralized policing.

At least 30 of Nigeria's 36 State Houses of Assembly have given their approval to the bill, comfortably exceeding the constitutionally mandated threshold. This requirement, stipulated as two-thirds of the state legislatures (equivalent to 24 states), has been met and surpassed, ensuring the bill's readiness for the President's final approval. The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed that his office has received and verified reports from 28 state legislatures, meticulously checking their votes and proceedings to confirm authenticity.

The legislation in question, formally known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, is designed to facilitate the establishment of State Police Services and address related matters. This pivotal bill was initially dispatched to all 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for their consideration and subsequent approval. State legislatures were initially given a 30-day window, concluding on October 15, to communicate their decisions back to the National Assembly.

Despite the initial deadline, Mr. Ogunlana indicated that his office would continue to accept reports from state assemblies until the bill is formally transmitted for presidential assent. The verification process undertaken by the National Assembly involved a thorough administrative review of the submitted reports and accompanying votes and proceedings. This was to ensure that the documents accurately reflected the decisions made by the respective state legislatures. Furthermore, the Clerk clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not mandate a Third Reading for Constitution Alteration Bills, distinguishing their procedural path from that of ordinary legislative proposals.

The Presidency has actively engaged with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to develop a comprehensive financing and implementation blueprint for the proposed State Police system. A committee, led by Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, has been tasked with this initiative, underscoring the government's recognition of the significant impact of state police on businesses Nigeria. The rationale behind this engagement is rooted in the understanding that persistent insecurity imposes substantial costs on the private sector, extending beyond mere private security expenditures.

These costs manifest as abandoned investments, delays in expansion projects, and widespread disruptions to commercial activities. During a plenary session focused on "security, stability and economic resilience" at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Mr. Gbajabiamila highlighted how insecurity deters investments, fragments supply chains, postpones factory expansions, and undermines employment opportunities. He urged business leaders to collaborate with governors and legislators, offering their expertise in institutional management, expenditure control, and risk assessment to identify and address security failures that impede viable investments.

With the approval from 28 state legislatures, the stage is set for the establishment of State Police Services Nigeria. The imminent presidential assent to the State Police Bill in Nigeria will fundamentally alter the country's security and legal landscape, introducing a dual policing structure. This significant reform is expected to bring about a decentralized approach to law enforcement, with implications for governance and public safety across the federation.

In anticipation of this change, former Inspector-General of Police and one-time Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Sir Mike Okiro, has offered crucial suggestions. These recommendations aim to establish safeguards against the potential for state governors to misuse the powers of the newly formed state police forces. His insights underscore the importance of robust oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and prevent any abuse of authority within the new security framework.

The imminent presidential assent to the State Police Bill in Nigeria will fundamentally alter the country's security and legal landscape. Lawyers and compliance officers must proactively advise clients on adapting corporate security protocols, understanding new compliance obligations under state-level policing, and preparing for potential jurisdictional complexities arising from a decentralized law enforcement structure. This development necessitates a review of existing legal strategies concerning security and regulatory engagement.

Source: Original reporting via Vanguard Nigeria