Tinubu Forwards State Police Constitution Amendment Bill to Senate

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate, marking a major step toward restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the development during Tuesday’s plenary session, revealing that the upper chamber is scheduled to deliberate on the proposed constitutional amendment on Wednesday. He also disclosed that state governments have indicated their readiness to consider the bill once it is transmitted to them.

The proposed legislation aims to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal basis for the creation and operation of state police forces across the federation.

The initiative follows sustained calls by President Tinubu for constitutional reforms that would empower states to take greater responsibility for security within their jurisdictions. In February, the President urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution, arguing that state policing is essential to addressing terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes.

Speaking during his Democracy Day address earlier this month, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to combating insecurity, warning that terrorists, bandits and their sponsors would face the full force of the law. He stated that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised over the past year and noted a significant decline in terrorism-related deaths.