24 States Approve Bill for Dual Policing System in Nigeria

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill is pleased that the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 has been approved by 24 State Houses of Assembly. This approval meets the requirement of two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Working Group, announced this development in a statement on Friday. The group praised the state assemblies for their decisive action on this important reform and thanked the National Assembly for passing the amendment in both chambers.

According to the statement, the amendment can now be sent back to the National Assembly to be forwarded to the President for approval. Gbajabiamila emphasized that this approval provides a constitutional basis for the policing system that the draft National Policing Bill aims to implement.

He assured Nigerians that the Working Group’s efforts are progressing well. The draft bills are currently being reviewed and validated by the Federal Ministry of Justice, with plans to return them by October 30, 2026. After that, the group will review them again before presenting them to the President.

The Working Group also called on all stakeholders to support a smooth transition to the new dual policing system, which aims to enhance safety for Nigerians.