President Tinubu sends state police amendment bill to Senate

President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the transmission during Tuesday’s plenary, saying the upper chamber would consider the bill on Wednesday.

Akpabio also disclosed that state governments had promised to consider the proposed amendment once it is transmitted to them.

The bill seeks to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the creation of state police across the federation.

The development marks a major step in the push to decentralise policing in Nigeria amid persistent attacks by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups.

Tinubu had in February urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, saying the reform had become necessary to enable states to play a stronger role in securing their territories.

The President also used his Democracy Day address earlier this month to restate his administration’s resolve to confront terrorists, bandits and their sponsors.

He said more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the last year, while terrorism-related deaths had dropped significantly compared to previous years.

Tinubu, however, admitted that the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states remained a painful reminder of the country’s security challenges.

The state police proposal has gained fresh momentum in recent months, with both chambers of the National Assembly advancing constitutional amendment processes aimed at transferring some policing powers to the states.

If passed by the National Assembly, the bill will still require approval by at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly before it can become part of the Constitution.

The proposed reform is considered one of the most far-reaching security restructuring efforts in Nigeria’s democratic history.