State Police: Osun Assembly Becomes First to Approve Constitutional Amendment as NASS Clarifies Process

The Osun State House of Assembly has become the first state legislature to approve the proposed constitutional amendment for the establishment of state police, as the National Assembly clarified that only the State Police Services Bill has so far been sent to the 36 state assemblies.

The development came after the National Assembly moved to correct reports suggesting that the full package of proposed constitutional amendments had already been transmitted to the states. In a statement signed by its Clerk, Kamoru Ogunlana, the National Assembly said the state police bill was the only alteration proposal forwarded for consideration at the state level.

Ogunlana recalled that the National Assembly announced on September 16 the transmission of the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to establish State Police Services and provide for related matters. He said the proposal was prioritised in response to public concerns over security and policing.

The Clerk said other constitutional alteration bills would only be transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly after they had been passed in identical form by both chambers of the National Assembly. He stressed that it was therefore incorrect to suggest that all pending constitutional amendment proposals had already reached the states.

In Osun, Speaker Adewale Egbedun presented the National Assembly’s request during Tuesday’s plenary and asked lawmakers to consider the proposed amendment. After debate, members unanimously backed the bill, making Osun the first state assembly reported to have approved the proposal.

Lawmakers including Lawrence Adeoti, Taofeek Olayiwola, Adewumi Adeyemi and Jeremiah Awoyeye spoke in favour of the proposal. They argued that state police could strengthen security at state and local government levels by giving states greater capacity to respond to security challenges within their jurisdictions.

The motion to support the constitutional amendment was moved by Majority Leader Babajide Kofoworola, representing Ede North State Constituency, and seconded by Tajudeen Adeyemi of Ifelodun State Constituency. The House subsequently gave the proposal unanimous approval.

The constitutional amendment still requires the wider approval process before any change establishing state police can take effect. Meanwhile, the Osun Assembly also considered amendments to the Osun State Park Management System Bill, 2026, during the same plenary session.