President Bola Tinubu has formally transmitted a constitutional amendment bill to the House of Representatives seeking legal backing for the establishment of state police as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
In a letter addressed to the House, the President urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the proposed legislation, describing it as a critical step towards addressing the country’s evolving security challenges through a dual policing structure involving both federal and state police services.
Tinubu said the bill builds on previous legislative efforts by the National Assembly while introducing additional safeguards to ensure the effective implementation of state policing.
“This Bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians,” the President stated.
He described the proposed legislation as a key component of his administration’s strategy to modernise the nation’s security system and expressed confidence that lawmakers would give it swift consideration.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganize Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens and I am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this Bill,” Tinubu added.
The President also called on the House to fast-track deliberations on the bill, stressing that the proposed reforms are essential to improving public safety and strengthening the country’s overall security framework.
The latest move follows the Senate’s recent passage of a similar constitutional amendment proposal on state police, while the House of Representatives has withdrawn its own version of the bill to align with the Executive’s proposal for accelerated legislative action.
