BREAKING: Nigerian Senate Passes State Police Bill Backed by Tinubu Government

Abuja, Nigeria – In a major step toward overhauling Nigeria’s security architecture, the Senate has passed a constitutional amendment bill to establish state police, a proposal strongly supported by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

The bill seeks to decentralize policing by allowing Nigeria’s 36 states to create and manage their own police services while the Nigeria Police Force continues to handle federal responsibilities such as national security, terrorism, and border protection.

The Tinubu administration has consistently argued that state policing will improve security by enabling faster responses to local crimes, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence. Government officials say the reform is aimed at strengthening grassroots security and improving public safety across the country.

Although the Senate has approved the bill, it is not yet law. The constitutional amendment must still be endorsed by at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for presidential assent. (AP News)

Supporters of the proposal describe it as a historic reform that could significantly enhance security operations nationwide. However, critics have expressed concerns that some state governments could misuse state police for political purposes, calling for strong constitutional safeguards and oversight mechanisms. (AP News)

If eventually signed into law, the creation of state police would mark one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history and a key policy achievement of the Tinubu administration.