The Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to establish a dual policing system in Nigeria, has secured the approval of 24 out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutional requirement for its passage.
The Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill and Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Gbajabiamila said the approval met the two-thirds threshold required under the Constitution, paving the way for the amendment to be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to President Tinubu for assent.
“The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill notes with satisfaction that the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, providing for a dual policing system, has been approved by 24 State Houses of Assembly, meeting the constitutional threshold of two-thirds of the 36 states,” the statement said.
The working group commended the state assemblies for their support and acknowledged the National Assembly for passing the constitutional amendment in both chambers.
The proposed amendment is expected to provide constitutional backing for a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and State Police Services, aimed at strengthening security and improving law enforcement at the grassroots.
Gbajabiamila also disclosed that the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, and 29 consequential amendment bills were undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The ministry is expected to return the validated bills to the working group on or before Friday, October 30, 2026, for final consideration before their presentation to the President.
On October 19, the working group announced that it had completed drafting the proposed legislation and submitted the bills to the Justice Ministry for review.
The review is intended to ensure that the bills comply with legislative drafting standards and conventions and do not conflict with existing laws.
The working group urged stakeholders to support the proposed reforms, expressing optimism that the transition to a dual policing system would enhance public safety across the country.
