Nigeria’s National Assembly is preparing to send President Bola Tinubu a constitutional amendment that would allow states to establish their own police services. On 3 November, Kamoru Ogunlana, the Clerk to the National Assembly, confirmed that his office had verified approvals from 28 state Houses of Assembly. His announcement concerned the votes on the bill. It did not announce that the president had signed it.
The number to watch at this stage was 24. Ogunlana said section 9 of the Constitution required approval from at least two-thirds of the country’s 36 state legislatures. The verified count of 28 clears that threshold by four. It measures how many legislatures approved the change, rather than how many states already have a police service of their own.
Getting to that count involved more than collecting replies. The clerk’s office reviewed the reports submitted by the assemblies alongside their records of votes and proceedings. The purpose was to check that each report was authentic and that it reflected the decision lawmakers had actually taken in that assembly.
The National Assembly had sent the proposal to all 36 legislatures on 16 September and asked them to communicate their decisions within 30 days. The requested period ended on 15 October. Ogunlana said his office could still receive reports up to the point when it sends the bill to the president.
The proposal seeks to change the 1999 Constitution. Nigeria’s existing federal police force already has commands in the states. A command of that force, such as the one in Ebonyi, is institutionally different from the police service that a state could establish under the proposed amendment.
What it means for you. If you have seen the figure of 28 and wondered whether a different force now polices your area, the clerk’s statement gives a narrower answer. The legislature has verified the state votes and is preparing the paperwork for the president. It gave no date for a new service to start operating in any community.