Senate Gives Four States Deadline to Submit Reports on State Police Bill
- Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said 32 state Houses of Assembly have approved the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026
- Bamidele set November 17 as the deadline for the four remaining state assemblies to submit their reports before the National Assembly resumes
- The Senate Leader said the National Assembly is now obligated to send the bill to President Tinubu for assent, regardless of the outstanding reports
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The Nigerian Senate has given the four remaining state Houses of Assembly until Tuesday, November 17, 2026, to submit their reports on the proposed state police bill before the National Assembly resumes sitting.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said 32 state assemblies had already approved the State Police (Constitution Alteration) Bill, 2026.
Source: Facebook
As reported by The Punch, he said that is enough to meet the constitutional requirement under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
Bamidele made the announcement on Sunday in Abuja while speaking after he received The Sun Senator of the Year Award, which was presented to him by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, founder of The Sun Publishing Limited and Chairman of the South-East Development Commission.
National Assembly Set to Move Forward
According to Bamidele, the National Assembly now has a duty to transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent, regardless of whether the remaining four state assemblies meet the deadline.
"We are now expecting four State Houses of Assembly to turn in their reports on or before the National Assembly reconvenes on November 17, 2026. This suggests that next week is going to be decisive and defining in the National Assembly. Whether the remaining states turn in their reports or not, we must move forward and fulfil the aspiration of our people," he said.
He added:
"We are now under obligation to transmit the State Police (Constitution Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Bola Tinubu for assent. This is a responsibility we must consciously discharge on behalf of our constituents and in the interest of national peace, progress, and stability."
Addressing fears over abuse of power
The proposed legislation seeks to replace Nigeria's centralised policing structure with both a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.
The push for decentralised policing has grown stronger in recent years as security threats including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and communal violence have stretched existing security agencies.
Previous attempts to reform Nigeria's policing structure have stalled over concerns that state governors could weaponise local police forces against political opponents.
Bamidele addressed those fears directly, saying the bill was designed to create community-based policing units operating within clear constitutional limits, not to establish ethnic or state armies.
He said:
"I believe in proactive lawmaking. I believe Nigeria must move from reactive governance to proactive governance. I believe our laws must be evidence-based, efficiently implemented, effectively monitored, periodically reviewed, and ultimately measured by their impact on citizens."
Source: Twitter
State Police: Presidency announces fresh development
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Presidency set a deadline of 5 pm on Thursday, August 13, 2026, for Nigerians to submit views on the proposed National Policing Bill.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and chairman of the working group, outlined key concerns the submissions should address.
Both chambers of the National Assembly have approved proposed constitutional changes, but several legislative steps remain before state police can become law.
Source: Legit.ng
