Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun hail Senate’s passage of state police bill

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, have applauded the Senate for passing the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, describing the move as a major breakthrough in the country’s quest for a more effective and responsive security system.

BusinessDay reports that the Senate on Wednesday passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation after more than two-thirds of lawmakers voted in support of the proposal during plenary.

The legislation seeks to create a state policing framework that will operate alongside the existing federal police system as part of efforts to address insecurity through decentralised policing.

In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu commended the Senate for approving the constitutional amendment, describing it as a bold response to longstanding calls for policing reforms.

“I commend the Senate for passing the constitutional amendment bill to establish state police across Nigeria. This is a bold and necessary response to a long-standing national conversation on how we protect our communities,” he wrote.

The Lagos governor also praised President Bola Tinubu for championing the reform, saying the initiative reflected the President’s longstanding commitment to restructuring Nigeria’s security framework.

“My appreciation also goes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This reform is a direct result of his visionary leadership and commitment to restructuring our security architecture.

“He has championed this cause since his days as governor of Lagos State, knowing that a safer Nigeria requires empowering authorities who actually know their terrain,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

“For us in Lagos, our security needs are unique, dynamic and constantly evolving. We know our streets and our neighbourhoods better than anyone else. This progress finally gives us the opportunity to build a system that is fully responsive to our local realities. There is still work to be done but this is major progress towards a safer Nigeria,” he added.

Similarly, Abiodun noted that the legislation would strengthen the nation’s security architecture by empowering states to play a greater role in maintaining law and order.

“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his visionary leadership in presenting the Executive Bill on State Police, which has now been passed by the Senate,” he said.

“The passage of this landmark legislation marks a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture by bringing policing closer to the people and empowering states to play a more active role in maintaining law and order,” he stated.

The Ogun governor expressed confidence that state police would improve intelligence gathering, enhance community security and contribute to national development.

“We also applaud the Senate for its support of this historic reform and remain confident that State Police will enhance community security, improve intelligence gathering, and contribute to a safer and more prosperous Nigeria,” he added.