Tinubu sends state police bill to Senate, seeks decentralised policing

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate that seeks to create a legal framework for state police across Nigeria. The bill, reported by DAILY POST on June 23, 2026, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow states to establish and control their own police forces. Tinubu said the reform is necessary to combat terrorism, banditry and other security threats, noting that over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year and terrorism-related deaths have fallen significantly. The proposal follows his February call for constitutional changes and his Democracy Day pledge to show no mercy to enemies of the state. Both chambers of the National Assembly are already advancing similar amendment processes to decentralise policing powers.

The move matters because shifting police authority to states could reshape how security is funded and managed locally, potentially improving response times to threats but also raising concerns about capacity, accountability and inter-state coordination. For citizens, especially those in areas affected by insurgency or banditry, the outcome could influence daily safety and the allocation of state budgets toward security.

Readers should track the bill's progress through the Senate and House, note any public hearings, and consider how state-level policing might affect their community's security arrangements and financial priorities.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/23/tinubu-sends-state-police-amendment-bill-to-senate/