Nigeria Senate Approves Constitutional Amendment to Create State Police

The Nigerian Senate voted to pass a constitutional amendment bill that would establish state police forces alongside the existing federal police. Lawmakers conducted a clause‑by‑clause manual vote after technical issues with electronic voting, achieving the two‑thirds majority required for a constitutional change. President Bola Tinubu transmitted the bill to the Senate, describing it as a key part of his security‑reform agenda, and Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu praised the passage as an “epochal” step toward federalism.

The amendment grants governors authority to appoint state police commissioners, subject to confirmation by state assemblies and review by the Federal Police Service Commission, with safeguards to prevent partisan or religious misuse. The bill still requires approval by at least two‑thirds of the 36 state houses of assembly and passage by the House of Representatives before presidential assent.

International observers noted the reform’s significance; U.S. Congressman Riley Moore publicly applauded the Senate’s action, calling it critical for improving local security and reducing reliance on the federal government.