Ondo Assembly backs state police bill, sends it to Abuja

Ondo State House of Assembly don pass bill wey wan change di 1999 Constitution to allow state police, and e add di state to di list of assemblies wey dey back di plan.

Di lawmakers pass di Constitution of the 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 on Monday for plenary for Akure, after e scale second and third readings. According to Punch and Daily Post, every member wey dey present support am.

Di proposal reach di assembly through letter from di Clerk of di National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, wey Speaker Olamide Oladiji read on September 24, Vanguard report.

Why e matter

Nigeria currently dey run one national police force. Supporters talk say state-run police go dey closer to communities, gather intelligence faster and respond quicker to crime — issues wey dey affect ordinary Nigerians’ safety every day.

Majority Leader Olatunji Oshati, wey move di motion, talk say lawmakers weigh how di change go affect residents, and argue say state police go tackle di country’s security challenges. Allen Oluwatoyin, wey represent Ese-Odo constituency, second am.

Oladiji call di plan long overdue, talk say e go let security agencies react faster to crime. “There will be greater confidence in state policing. It will strengthen intelligence gathering and provide grassroots security,” he talk, according to Vanguard and Naija News.

Daily Post report say 24 of di 36 state assemblies don already meet di constitutional threshold last week. Punch talk say Ondo now join di states wey don pass di bill.

Wetin happen next

Oladiji direct di Clerk of di House, Benjamin Jaiyeola, to send di resolution and di assembly’s observations to di National Assembly for further action.

State police go only take effect if di amendment complete di national process. For now, Ondo’s vote na one more state endorsement, no be new force on di streets.