Only four state Houses of Assembly have so far approved the bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria.

The Constitution Alteration Bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for the creation of state police, was transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for concurrence.

The bill requires the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly to scale through.

As of October 4, 2026, checks show that the states that have approved the bill so far are Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers. The Osun State House of Assembly approved the bill clause-by-clause on September 22, while the Oyo State House of Assembly passed it at third reading. The Rivers State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed all 26 clauses contained in the amendment bill, with lawmakers describing it as crucial to addressing insecurity.

In Edo State, the House of Assembly also gave its approval to the bill, joining the list of states that have so far concurred with the National Assembly on the proposal.

Other state Houses of Assembly are at various stages of legislative work on the bill. Some states, including Ogun and Bauchi, have set up ad-hoc committees to review the provisions of the bill, while others such as Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara have acknowledged receipt of the bill and are holding consultations with stakeholders.

No state has rejected the bill so far, but the pace of approval has remained slow across the country. The National Assembly is seeking to conclude the constitutional amendment process ahead of the 2027 general elections as part of broader efforts to strengthen the security architecture and allow for policing at the sub-national level.