Tinubu to Senate: Amend Constitution Now for State Police to Tackle Insecurity

Matilda Omonaiye/

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the leadership of the 10th Senate to urgently amend the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework for State Police, declaring that decentralised policing has become imperative in the face of Nigeria’s deepening security challenges.

The President made the appeal on Wednesday during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he stressed that the current security architecture must evolve to meet the realities of terrorism, banditry and insurgency.

“We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make a right response to this cause,” Tinubu told the lawmakers. “What I will ask for tonight is for you to start thinking how best to amend the constitution to incorporate the State Police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, and free our children from fear.”

According to the President, the creation of State Police is no longer a theoretical debate but an urgent national necessity. He argued that decentralised policing would strengthen grassroots law enforcement, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster response to threats within states.

Tinubu explained that State Police would complement, not replace, the existing federal security structure, adding that a community-focused, intelligence-led system would be more effective in confronting evolving criminal networks.

He also underscored the importance of unity between the executive and legislature in confronting insecurity, praising what he described as a harmonious working relationship with the Senate.

“It is a good thing that we are working in harmony. We are looking forward to a country that evolves, a country that takes care of its citizens and protects all,” he said.

The President thanked the Senate for backing his administration’s bold economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and ongoing tax reform measures.

“I have a lot of credit for bold reforms. Without your collaboration and inspiration, those reforms would not be possible. We are reformists together,” Tinubu said.

He described the scrapping of the subsidy regime as a decisive move against “monumental corruption” and foreign exchange arbitrage, asserting that the country is now witnessing improved economic stability.

“What we gave up and what we stopped is monumental corruption in the subsidy system. We don’t want to participate in monumental corruption and arbitrage foreign exchange,” he said, expressing optimism that prosperity is within reach if sustained efforts continue.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the President for hosting the leadership of the Senate and for what he described as visionary leadership at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history.

Akpabio noted that the administration’s reforms have significantly boosted revenue allocations to sub-national governments, enabling governors to undertake critical infrastructure development.

He also offered prayers for the President, his administration, and for national peace and prosperity.

The call for constitutional amendment to establish State Police is expected to reignite long-standing debates on federalism, devolution of powers, and the restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, issues that have dominated national discourse for years.

With the 10th Senate now formally urged to act, attention will shift to how swiftly lawmakers respond to what the President has framed as a defining reform for Nigeria’s security future.