President Bola Tinubu has called on the Nigerian Senate to begin the process of amending the Constitution to allow for the establishment of state police forces as part of efforts to tackle the country’s growing security challenges.
The President made the appeal on Wednesday during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, stressing that decentralised policing has become necessary to strengthen grassroots security and enable states to respond more swiftly to threats within their jurisdictions.
According to Tinubu, the creation of state police would complement existing federal security structures while promoting intelligence-driven and community-based law enforcement.
“We are facing terrorism, banditry and insurgency, but we will never fail to make the right response,” he said in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. “I urge you to begin thinking about how best to amend the Constitution to incorporate state police so we can secure our country, reclaim our forests from marauders and free our children from fear.”
The President also praised the working relationship between the executive and the legislature, noting that unity among political leaders is essential in defeating insecurity across the country.
Tinubu further thanked lawmakers for supporting his administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and ongoing tax restructuring, which he said were necessary steps to curb corruption and stabilise the economy.
In his response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the President for hosting the Senate leadership at the interfaith gathering and acknowledged what he described as Tinubu’s visionary leadership, while praying for Nigeria’s continued peace and prosperity.