The Senate has assured Nigerians that legislation to establish state police will be enacted before the end of the year, following approval of the constitutional amendment by the required number of 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, seeking to establish state police services.
The bill scaled second and third readings during plenary, with all lawmakers present supporting its passage.
Ondo is among the states that have approved the proposed amendment, bringing the number of approving state assemblies to the constitutionally required two-thirds of the 36 states.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, told journalists that the National Assembly was determined to conclude the process before the Christmas break.
Adaramodu described the proposed legislation as a priority in the ongoing constitution review, assuring that the National Assembly would work towards its timely passage.
He said, “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.”
The assurance comes as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has submitted the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, alongside 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.
The group would then give the documents final consideration before presenting them to President Bola Tinubu for approval and subsequent transmission to the National Assembly.
However, Adaramodu declined to comment on the executive’s proposed timeline, saying the Senate would wait until it formally received the bills.
He said, “Well, we cannot pass comment on what the executive said until we receive correspondence from them.”
