By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

Theproposed constitutional amendment seeking the establishment of state police is encountering fresh setbacks across the country, as only four state Houses of Assembly have so far approved the measure despite growing concerns over insecurity nationwide.Investigations indicate that only Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers states have endorsed the proposal, while many other state legislatures are yet to begin deliberations on the bill. Some assemblies have also disclosed that they are still awaiting official transmission of the amendment from the National Assembly.

The development comes less than three weeks after the National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, requesting their consideration and concurrence.Lawmakers at the federal level had urged state legislatures to communicate their decisions within 30 days.

Although the timeline serves as an administrative target rather than a constitutional requirement, the slow pace of consideration has raised concerns about the future of one of Nigeria’s most debated security reforms.

Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, any constitutional amendment must secure the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly, equivalent to 24 of the 36 legislatures, before it can progress to the next stage of the amendment process.With only four states having endorsed the proposal, the bill still requires support from at least 20 additional state assemblies to meet the constitutional threshold needed for passage.

Observers note that the sluggish response from many legislatures could significantly delay efforts to establish state-controlled police forces, a proposal widely promoted as a strategic response to rising incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats across the country.The state police initiative has remained a prominent issue in Nigeria’s security discourse, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would enhance local intelligence gathering, improve response times and strengthen community-based security management.

However, concerns persist among critics who fear that state police structures could be abused by political authorities if adequate safeguards are not incorporated into the legal framework.As deliberations continue, attention remains focused on the remaining state assemblies whose decisions will determine whether the constitutional amendment secures the required nationwide support or faces further delays.By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor