Tinubu Sends State Police Bill to Senate for Constitutional Amendment

President Bola Tinubu has formally forwarded a constitutional amendment bill seeking the creation of state police to the Senate, setting the stage for what could become one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.

The development was disclosed on Tuesday by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary, where he informed lawmakers that the proposed legislation would be considered by the upper chamber on Wednesday.

Akpabio also revealed that state governments were expected to deliberate on the proposal once copies of the bill are transmitted to them, signalling broad consultations on the far-reaching reform.

The bill seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal foundation for the establishment and operation of state police across the federation.

The proposal is the latest step in ongoing efforts to decentralise policing and strengthen internal security, amid persistent concerns over terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in different parts of the country.

President Tinubu has repeatedly advocated constitutional changes to allow states assume greater responsibility for securing their territories, arguing that the current policing structure requires reforms to meet evolving security challenges.

In February, the President urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the initiative as a necessary response to growing security threats nationwide.

He renewed that position during his Democracy Day address earlier this month, when he pledged that terrorists, bandits and their sponsors would face decisive action from the government.

While highlighting gains recorded by security agencies, Tinubu said more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the past year and noted a decline in terrorism-related fatalities compared to previous years.

The President, however, acknowledged that the continued captivity of some schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states underscored the need for sustained efforts to address insecurity.

The state police proposal has gained increasing support in recent months, with both chambers of the National Assembly advancing constitutional review processes aimed at devolving certain policing responsibilities to state governments.

Lawmakers are expected to reconvene for an emergency sitting as deliberations begin on the bill, which many observers regard as a major milestone in the push to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.