State Police Bill Faces Hurdle as Only Four States Approve

The push to establish state police in Nigeria is facing a fresh legislative hurdle, with only Edo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers states having so far approved the proposed constitutional amendment.

The development comes as several other State Houses of Assembly are either still studying the proposal, yet to begin deliberations or say they have not received the harmonised bill from the National Assembly.

The National Assembly transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the 36 state legislatures on September 16 for consideration and concurrence.

The state assemblies were asked to communicate their resolutions within 30 days. However, the 30-day period is an administrative target rather than a constitutional deadline.

Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stage.

This means at least 24 state legislatures must approve the proposed amendment.

With only four states currently on record as having approved the bill, 20 more state assemblies must give their concurrence for the constitutional threshold to be met.

In the South-West, Osun and Oyo have approved the proposal, while Ondo and Ekiti are still studying it. Ogun has constituted a committee to examine the bill before it is considered by the full House.

READ ALSO:

• Benue Boat Accident: One Dead, Eight Missing as Mourners’ Boat Capsizes
• Court Restricts Osun Accounts Over $13.9m Arbitration Award
• Tension as Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Abducted Oyo Corps Members

The Lagos State House of Assembly has previously endorsed the establishment of state police in principle and urged the 36 state legislatures to accelerate consideration of the constitutional amendment. However, its formal approval of the latest constitutional amendment package had not been publicly confirmed.

In Osun, lawmakers passed the bill clause by clause on September 22 without amendments and began arrangements to transmit their resolution to the National Assembly.

The Oyo State House of Assembly also passed the bill after considering its provisions clause by clause at plenary. The approval made Oyo the fourth state to formally endorse the proposed amendment.

In the South-South, Rivers and Edo have approved the amendment, while Cross River has commenced consideration after the bill passed its first reading.

The Delta State House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of the bill and is consulting stakeholders before taking a position, while Bayelsa had yet to formally debate or vote on the proposal.

In Rivers, lawmakers unanimously endorsed the amendment, with Speaker Martin Amaewhule saying the proposed framework would help strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

The proposal seeks to create a constitutional framework for State Police Services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the federal police service.

In the Northern states, the process has been slower. Some assemblies have received the bill but are yet to debate or vote on it, while others say the National Assembly has not formally transmitted the document to them.

READ ALSO:

• Oyo Corps Members Abductors Demand ₦950m Ransom, Threaten to Kill Victims
• Adeleke Rejects Ataoja Palace Appointment, Reaffirms Oyebode as Osun Iyaloja-General
• Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Captain With Axe in Attempted Terrorist Act, UAE Says

Kano, Kwara, Kebbi, Taraba and Gombe were among states that reported not having received the bill at the time of the latest checks.

Kogi had received the proposal but had yet to deliberate on it, while Yobe had received it but had not listed it for consideration. Borno had read the bill at plenary but had yet to take a position.

Plateau had commenced consideration, while Bauchi had constituted a committee to examine the proposal.

The proposed state police system is being promoted against the backdrop of persistent security challenges across Nigeria, including kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and other forms of criminality.

Supporters argue that decentralising policing would bring security operations closer to local communities, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to threats.

However, concerns remain over funding, accountability, political interference and the possibility of state police being used for partisan purposes.

The proposed constitutional framework is therefore expected to address issues including national minimum policing standards and the relationship between state police services and the federal police structure.

For the amendment to move forward, the proposal must first secure the support of at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

With only four states having approved it so far, the proposed state police bill still faces a substantial legislative hurdle before Nigeria can move to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process.

State Police Bill Faces Hurdle as Only Four States Approve

Benue Boat Accident: One Dead, Eight Missing as Mourners’ Boat Capsizes

At least one person has died and eight others are missing after a boat carrying mourners capsized on the Buruku River in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident occurred around 11am on Saturday, October 3, as the mourners were returning from a burial ceremony across the river.

The passengers were reportedly travelling on a wooden boat that was also carrying several motorcycles when the vessel developed an engine fault close to the riverbank.

The situation reportedly became chaotic as the boat began taking in water before eventually capsizing. Strong waves were said to have compounded the difficulty faced by the passengers.

The Buruku Local Government Area chairman, Raymond Zege, said the boat was carrying more than 70 passengers and over 30 motorcycles when the accident occurred.

He said a rescue operation was launched after the incident, with several passengers pulled from the river.

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) later confirmed that one person had died, eight remained missing and three others were receiving medical treatment.

The agency said other passengers had been rescued, while search operations continued for those still unaccounted for.

READ ALSO:

• Court Restricts Osun Accounts Over $13.9m Arbitration Award
• Tension as Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Abducted Oyo Corps Members
• Oyo Corps Members Abductors Demand ₦950m Ransom, Threaten to Kill Victims

The exact number of people aboard the boat remains unclear, as initial reports put the number at about 70, while other accounts gave different figures.

The Benue State Government has since directed relevant agencies and boat operators to intensify efforts to locate the missing passengers and support the rescue operation.

The Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, appealed for calm and urged boat operators and their unions to participate actively in the search-and-rescue efforts.

The incident has renewed concerns about waterway safety in Benue, particularly the risks associated with overloading, inadequate enforcement of safety regulations and the use of boats without sufficient safety equipment.

Zege said the local government had provided life jackets for people using the waterway but acknowledged challenges in ensuring that passengers consistently use them.

Authorities have urged residents who use the river crossing to comply with safety regulations and avoid overloading boats.

Meanwhile, families of the missing passengers remain anxious as rescue teams and local boat operators continue the search along the Buruku River.

The latest Benue boat accident has also raised fresh concerns about safety measures for communities that depend on waterways for transportation, particularly during periods when river conditions become difficult to navigate.

Benue Boat Accident: One Dead, Eight Missing as Mourners’ Boat Capsizes

Court Restricts Osun Accounts Over $13.9m Arbitration Award

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered several commercial banks to place a “Post No Debit” restriction on accounts belonging to the Osun State Government over an unpaid $13.924 million arbitration award in favour of Gamji Nigeria Company Limited.

The interim order, issued by Justice D.E. Osiagor, also covers ₦157.5 million in arbitration fees awarded to the company.

The court order followed an application by Gamji Nigeria Company Limited, which is seeking to preserve the Osun State Government’s funds pending steps to enforce the arbitral award.

The dispute arose from contracts0000 awarded by the Osun State Government to Gamji in June 2017 for the construction of water infrastructure in Ilesa West Local Government Area.

The projects involved the construction of transmission mains, booster pump stations and water reservoirs under a wider water supply and sanitation programme.

According to documents before the court, the projects were initially valued at about $15.98 million and $9.70 million, respectively. Gamji later claimed that design changes and variations increased the contract values.

The company said about 93 per cent of the works had been completed by October 2023 and that the state government issued a Substantial Completion Certificate in November 2024.

READ ALSO:

• Tension as Kidnappers Threaten to Kill Abducted Oyo Corps Members
• Oyo Corps Members Abductors Demand ₦950m Ransom, Threaten to Kill Victims
• Adeleke Rejects Ataoja Palace Appointment, Reaffirms Oyebode as Osun Iyaloja-General

A dispute subsequently developed over issues including extensions of time, variations, price adjustments and additional costs incurred during execution of the projects.

After attempts to resolve the disagreement failed, Gamji commenced arbitration proceedings against the Osun State Government.

The arbitral tribunal eventually delivered its final award on July 24, 2026, directing the state government to pay Gamji $13,924,343.32, alongside ₦157.5 million in reimbursable arbitration fees.

The award also provided for 20 per cent annual interest on the outstanding amount after the specified compliance period.

Gamji told the Federal High Court that the deadline for payment expired on August 24, 2026, without the award being settled.

The company consequently approached the court for an interim order to prevent the state government from dissipating funds that could be required to satisfy the award.

Justice Osiagor subsequently directed the affected banks to place a Post No Debit restriction on the relevant Osun State Government accounts and preserve funds up to the value of the award.

The affected financial institutions include Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Sterling Bank, Union Bank and Wema Bank, among others.

The order is an interim preservation measure and does not amount to a final transfer of the state government’s funds to Gamji. The substantive legal proceedings concerning enforcement of the award remain before the court.

The Federal High Court has adjourned the matter until October 22, 2026, when the relevant applications are expected to be considered.

The latest development is separate from the earlier restriction placed on some Osun State Government accounts in connection with an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation. That restriction was subsequently lifted.

The current case centres on the contractual dispute between the state government and Gamji and the company’s attempt to enforce the $13.9 million arbitration award and associated naira payment.

The court’s decision could have significant financial implications for the Osun State Government if the arbitral award is ultimately enforced.

Court Restricts Osun Accounts Over $13.9m Arbitration Award