State police bill clears states, heads to Tinubu for assent

The National Assembly says it is set to transmit the bill establishing State Police in Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed that 28 State Houses of Assembly had approved the constitutional amendment as of 15 October. That passes the constitutional requirement of at least two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies (24).

Ogunlana said his office would keep accepting responses from states yet to report. If the President signs, states would for the first time be able to set up their own police forces — a long-running demand amid kidnappings and banditry.