Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to the leadership of Nigeria’s 10th Senate to initiate constitutional amendments that would provide a clear legal framework for the establishment of state police across the country, citing the worsening security situation nationwide.
The President made the appeal during an engagement with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he stressed that Nigeria’s current security challenges require bold and pragmatic reforms beyond the existing centralised policing structure established under the 1999 Constitution.
According to President Tinubu, persistent threats such as banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and communal violence have exposed limitations in the present policing system, making it difficult for security agencies to respond swiftly and effectively to local threats in different parts of the country.
He argued that state police would strengthen grassroots security by allowing states to design policing strategies that reflect their unique security realities, cultural contexts and terrain, while still operating within a nationally coordinated framework.
The President urged lawmakers to approach the issue with open minds, noting that constitutional reform on policing is no longer a theoretical debate but an urgent national necessity driven by the need to protect lives, secure communities and restore public confidence in law enforcement.
Tinubu also highlighted the importance of securing forests and rural areas that have increasingly become safe havens for criminal groups, adding that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering and community collaboration in tackling such threats.
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In his remarks, the President commended the cooperative relationship between the executive and the National Assembly, describing it as vital to advancing reforms aimed at stabilising the country and strengthening governance.
Responding on behalf of the lawmakers, Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the President’s concerns and reaffirmed the Senate’s willingness to engage constructively on constitutional reforms that promote national security and unity.
Akpabio noted that while the issue of state police has generated debate in the past, the Senate recognises the urgency of addressing insecurity and is committed to considering proposals that serve the broader interests of the country.
Any constitutional amendment to establish state police would require approval by two-thirds of members of the National Assembly and ratification by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly, making it a process that demands wide political consensus.
If successfully implemented, the move would represent one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s internal security architecture since the return to democratic rule, potentially reshaping how law enforcement is organised and delivered across the federation.
