A constitutional amendment to create state police forces in Nigeria won approval from 28 state legislatures, surpassing the threshold needed for constitutional change and moving the plan closer to becoming law, the National Assembly said on Tuesday.
The reform would mark one of the most consequential changes to Nigeria’s security framework in recent years, allowing the creation of state-controlled police forces in a country where policing is currently overseen by a single federal force.
The figure exceeds the constitutional minimum of 24 states, equivalent to two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states.
National Assembly clerk Kamoru Ogunlana said it had verified the authenticity of the approvals and supporting legislative records.
The legislation will now be prepared for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Supporters say state police would improve responses to local security threats by decentralising policing powers from the federal government