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

The National Assembly has commenced the collation of reports from state Houses of Assembly on the proposed establishment of state police, with Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, confirming that at least 30 states have approved the Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026. The development surpasses the constitutional requirement of two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures, marking a significant step towards decentralising Nigeria’s policing system.

Bamidele disclosed this on Thursday while delivering a lecture to participants of Senior Executive Course 48 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State. He explained that the National Assembly would consider the reports received, collate the positions of the state legislatures and pass a resolution by a simple majority in both chambers before transmitting the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

According to the Senate Leader, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, the legislative process is expected to be completed by December 2026. He said the constitutional requirement under Section 9(2) had been satisfied, describing the development as a historic breakthrough after more than 15 years of unsuccessful attempts to establish state police through constitutional reform.

The proposed reform is intended to strengthen local intelligence gathering, improve response to security threats and make policing more responsive to the peculiar security challenges of individual communities. Nigeria’s current policing structure is centrally administered through the Nigeria Police Force, a system critics argue has limitations in addressing widespread insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence.

However, the proposed arrangement has generated concerns about possible political interference and abuse of police powers by state governors, particularly against opposition figures and perceived political opponents. Bamidele maintained that the reform would operate under constitutional safeguards, human rights protections and clearly defined oversight mechanisms. He stressed that state police would not constitute state armies but community based policing institutions operating within established constitutional and operational standards.

He also credited Senate President Godswill Akpabio with supporting the initiative, assuring Nigerians that the 10th National Assembly would complete the legislative process. Bamidele said the objective was to strengthen Nigeria’s federal system rather than weaken the Federal Government, adding that decentralised policing would enable states to develop security arrangements suited to their local realities.

Beyond state police, the senator highlighted other legislative achievements of the 10th National Assembly, including the Student Loans Act, 2024, Minimum Wage Amendment Act, 2024, four Tax Reform Acts of 2025, Electoral Act, 2026, and other reforms covering investment, insurance, cybersecurity and regional development. He argued that legislation should be assessed by its practical impact on citizens rather than the number of bills passed.

Bamidele also called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and NIPSS to improve policy development and legislative foresight. He emphasised that passing laws alone does not guarantee good governance, insisting that effective implementation, adequate funding, monitoring and periodic evaluation are essential. The success of state police, he noted, will ultimately depend on accountability, professionalism and the ability to protect Nigerians without political interference.