Five more state Houses of Assembly don gree to the constitutional change wey go allow states get their own police, as Federal Government don submit the draft National Policing Bill 2026 and 29 other bills wey go support the change to Ministry of Justice for checking.
The states wey don approve the change na Ogun, Delta, Plateau, Kwara and Adamawa. Dem join Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara, wey don earlier gree to the constitutional change wey go make state police possible.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, send the proposed Sixth Amendment Bill to the 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, make dem consider am and approve am.
The bill dey seek to change Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to replace one Nigeria Police Force with Federal Police Service and State Police Services. The aim na to find better way to tackle the security wahala wey dey affect the country.
For one statement wey Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and chairman of the Presidential Working Group, sign on Tuesday, the group talk say e don finish the first stage of preparing the bills.
The group explain say dem submit the draft bills to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice on Monday, October 19, 2026.
The statement talk say, “We submit the bills on October 19, 2026, to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, according to the work plan wey the group dey follow.
“The Ministry of Justice go check the bills to make sure say dem follow the correct way to write laws and say dem no clash with laws wey already dey.”
The group expect the Ministry of Justice to return the bills wey dem don check and approve to dem on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.
After dem receive the bills, the working group go look through dem one final time before dem carry am go meet President Bola Tinubu. This one go mark the end of the group work.
Gbajabiamila explain say the new law go provide the rules wey Nigeria go follow to operate two different police services: Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
E add say the group dey work hard to make sure say dem prepare complete law wey the President fit look through before e send am go National Assembly.
According to am, the work dey happen at the same time with the constitutional change wey state lawmakers still dey consider. The 36 state Houses of Assembly must finish their part before the matter fit move go National Assembly.
On October 15, Gbajabiamila tell reporters for Presidential Villa say work on the state police law don reach 90 per cent, and dem plan to send am go National Assembly on October 29.
he Senate pass the bill on June 24, and House of Representatives also pass am later.
Afterwards, the National Assembly send the bill go all 36 state Houses of Assembly on September 16. At least 24 states must agree to the constitutional change before e fit move forward.
President Tinubu set up the seven-member Presidential Working Group on July 7, while the committee wey go guide their work begin work on August 3. Tinubu give dem the responsibility to prepare a strong law wey go make state police ready to start work.
When dem ask how long Ministry of Justice go take to finish checking the bills, Kamarudeen Ogundele, wey be media assistant to the Attorney-General, say nobody fit give exact time unless law or the process set one.
E talk say, “Which law talk say dem must finish this work within one week, two months, three months or four months? When dem begin to set time for every matter to finish and get approval?
“I no fit confirm that one now. This matter get im own steps, and dem must follow the correct process. So, to say dem must finish am within one week or two weeks when no law set that kind time no necessary.”
The Senate also refuse to talk about the time wey Federal Government plan to send the bills, say dem go wait until dem receive am officially before dem make any statement.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, wey be chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, talk this one during interview with The PUNCH.
E say, “We no fit comment on wetin the Executive talk until we receive their letter officially.”
But Adaramodu describe the proposed law as important matter wey concern Nigerians, and e say lawmakers dey ready to finish the work as quickly as possible.
The Senate spokesperson also dismiss concern say some state assemblies dey delay the constitutional change, even though the 30 days wey dem give dem to send their response don pass.
E explain say the 30 days na for state lawmakers to send their position, and the Senate go consider their responses together with the proposals wey Federal Government go send.
E talk say, “All those approvals from the states go reach us, and we go consider dem because we still need to hold meeting to settle the matter.
“Make una understand say the 30-day period no be for us. Na for the states to send their own response, and dem don dey do am.”
Adaramodu express confidence say all the states go send their responses before Federal Government officially send the bills go National Assembly. E insist say the delay no go stop the Senate from passing the law before the end of the year.
