Twenty-eight State Houses of Assembly have approved the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police in Nigeria, meeting the constitutionally required threshold for the bill to proceed to the next stage.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, Naija News reports.

According to the statement, the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly has received official reports from 28 State Houses of Assembly indicating their approval of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, which seeks to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters.

“The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly wishes to inform the general public that it has received reports from 28 State Houses of Assembly indicating their approval of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, seeking to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters,” the statement read in part.

It would be recalled that the National Assembly transmitted the bill seeking to establish State Police to the State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, requesting that their resolutions be communicated within 30 days.

However, Ogunlana disclosed that as of October 15, only 28 states had approved the bill, adding that his office would continue to receive responses from states yet to submit their reports.

The Clerk explained that the number of approvals had surpassed the constitutionally required threshold of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, equivalent to 24 states, as stipulated under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

“The stipulated period elapsed on 15 October 2026, but my Office shall continue to accept reports from the State Houses of Assembly until the bill is transmitted for assent.

“Following the receipt and verification of the reports, the Office confirms that 28 State Houses of Assembly have approved the Bill.

“This represents more than the constitutionally prescribed threshold of not less than two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, equivalent to 24 States, as required under Section 9 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,” he stated.

Ogunlana further disclosed that the Office of the Clerk had completed the necessary administrative verification of the reports and accompanying votes and proceedings to authenticate the submissions and ensure they accurately reflected the decisions of the respective state legislatures.

He added that arrangements were being made to transmit the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The Clerk also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure applicable to ordinary bills.

“In view of the approvals secured from the required number of State Houses of Assembly, the necessary administrative processes are being undertaken to facilitate the transmission of the Bill to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for assent, in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, (LFN) 2004,” he said.

The statement also expressed the National Assembly's appreciation to the State Houses of Assembly for their cooperation and timely responses.

It added that the National Assembly would continue to provide accurate and timely information on developments surrounding the constitutional amendment process.