Nigeria, Oct. 21 -- The approval brings the number of state assemblies backing the proposed amendment to 13, according to reports.

Other North-central states that have supported it include Nasarawa and Plateau, while Taraba, Ogun, Delta, Cross River and Enugu also approved the bill.

The proposed reform seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for a decentralised policing system comprising the Federal Police Service and state police services.

The move comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and communal violence, with growing calls for security agencies to respond more effectively to local threats.

Under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment requires approval by at l...