TinubuUrges Senate to Establish State Police for Grassroots Security
President Bola Tinubu has called on the 10th Senate to urgently amend the constitution to create state police, arguing decentralized policing is essential to combat Nigeria's escalating insecurity. According to a statement from Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made the appeal during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday. He emphasized that state police would enable subnational governments to respond more effectively to threats like terrorism, banditry, and insurgency, complementing federal security structures. "We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make a right response to this cause," Tinubu stated. "What I will ask for tonight is for you (Senators) 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." This follows Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele's announcement last April that the National Assembly was drafting legal frameworks for state police as part of broader security reforms. Recent reports indicate Nigeria faces severe security challenges, with 4,722 kidnappings recorded between mid-2024 and mid-2025, and the government paying at least N2.56 billion in ransom during that period.