President Bola Tinubu has called on the 10th Senate to begin the process of amending Nigeria’s Constitution to provide a legal foundation for the establishment of state police, describing the move as critical to tackling the nation’s worsening security challenges.
The President made the appeal on Wednesday during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s evolving security landscape demands bold structural reforms.
According to the President, decentralising the policing system would enhance grassroots security, empower states to respond more swiftly to local threats, and strengthen intelligence gathering at the community level.
“We are facing terrorism, banditry and insurgency,” Tinubu said. “But we will never fail to make the right response to these challenges. What I will ask for tonight is for you to start thinking about how best to amend the Constitution to incorporate state police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders and free our children from fear.”
He argued that state police would complement the existing federal security framework rather than undermine it, creating a more responsive and locally attuned law enforcement structure capable of confronting modern security threats.
Tinubu also lauded the cooperative relationship between the executive and the National Assembly, describing legislative-executive harmony as a vital pillar in the fight against terrorism and banditry.
“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 further expressed appreciation to the Senate for backing key reforms under his administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the introduction of tax reforms — measures he described as difficult but necessary for long-term economic stability.
“I have a lot of credit for bold reforms. Without your collaboration and inspiration, those reforms would not have been possible. We are reformists together,” Tinubu stated, adding that the subsidy removal helped curb what he characterised as “monumental corruption.”
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio thanked the President for hosting the interfaith gathering and commended his leadership at what he described as a defining moment for the country.
Akpabio noted that recent reforms had significantly increased revenue allocations to states, enabling governors to execute critical infrastructure projects. He concluded with prayers for the President and for sustained peace, unity, and prosperity across the nation.
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