The Senate has assured Nigerians that legislation to establish state police will be enacted before the end of the year, following the approval of the constitutional amendment by the required 24 state Houses of Assembly.
The assurance came as the Ondo State House of Assembly, on Monday, passed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to establish the State Police Services in Nigeria.
The lawmakers passed the bill during the plenary session after it scaled second and third readings, with all members present supporting its passage.
Earlier, Osun, Adamawa, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ekiti, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Abia, Yobe and Kaduna states had passed the bill, making the two-thirds constitutionally required for the passage by the National Assembly.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the National Assembly was determined to conclude the process before the Christmas break.
Adaramodu said the proposed legislation was a priority in the ongoing constitution review process and would be considered expeditiously once the necessary proposals were received from the executive.
“On the constitution review matter, we all know that the one on the front burner now is the state police bill.
“Already, we have promised Nigerians that before the end of this 10th National Assembly, a new police law will be enacted for Nigerians. And then, before we even leave for Christmas, it would have been done,” he said.
His assurance comes as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice for legislative drafting review and validation.
The working group, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the ministry was expected to return the validated drafts by October 30 before the group would give them final consideration and present them to President Bola Tinubu for approval and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila had earlier said the proposed bill was 90 per cent ready and would be transmitted to the National Assembly on October 29.
However, Adaramodu declined to comment on the executive’s proposed timeline, saying the Senate would wait until it formally received the bills.
“Well, we cannot pass comment on what the executive said until we receive correspondence from them,” he said.
The Senate spokesman also dismissed concerns over delays in securing state-level approval for the constitutional amendment, explaining that the 30 days was intended for the state legislatures to submit their inputs.
