President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
The proposed legislation aims to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the creation of state police forces in all states of the federation.
The move follows repeated calls by the President for constitutional reforms that would allow states to play a greater role in securing their territories and addressing local security challenges.
Earlier this year, Tinubu urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the reform as a necessary step in combating terrorism, banditry, and other security threats facing the country.
Speaking during his Democracy Day address this month, the President reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, warning that terrorists, bandits, and their sponsors would face the full force of the law.
Tinubu also stated that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the past year, adding that terrorism-related deaths had declined significantly compared to previous years.
However, he acknowledged that the continued captivity of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states remains a painful reminder of Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
The proposal for state police has gained momentum in recent months, with both chambers of the National Assembly advancing constitutional amendment processes aimed at decentralising policing powers.
The Senate is expected to reconvene for an emergency plenary session to consider the bill, which is widely regarded as one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
