Senate Set for Key Vote as Tinubu Pushes State Police Bill

The Senate is expected to vote on the proposed State Police Bill after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu transmitted the legislation to the National Assembly, marking a major step in efforts to reform Nigeria’s security system.

The bill seeks to establish state police services that would operate alongside the Nigeria Police Force, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would improve local security, intelligence gathering, and responses to crimes such as kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged lawmakers to attend the session, noting that constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority to pass.

While advocates see the proposal as a solution to growing security challenges, critics have warned about the risk of political interference and called for strong oversight mechanisms.

If approved by the National Assembly, the bill must also secure the endorsement of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before becoming law.