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 lauded the Nigerian Senate's passage of a constitutional alteration bill that seeks to establish state police forces. The governors hailed the development as a significant reform poised to bolster the nation's security infrastructure and enhance community-based policing.

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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.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, commended President Bola Tinubu for championing the reform. He described the bill's passage as a "bold and necessary response to a long-standing national conversation on how we protect our communities." Sanwo-Olu specifically thanked President Tinubu for his "visionary leadership and commitment to restructuring our security architecture," noting that the President had advocated for empowering local authorities since his time as Lagos governor.

For Lagos, Sanwo-Olu stated that the new legislation offers an opportunity to develop a policing system tailored to the state's unique, dynamic, and evolving security challenges. "We know our streets and our neighborhoods better than anyone else. This progress finally gives us the opportunity to build a system that is fully responsive to our local realities," he said, acknowledging that while more work remains, this marks "major progress toward a safer Nigeria."

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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.

Similarly, Governor Abiodun expressed his commendation to President Tinubu for presenting the Executive Bill on state police and applauded the Senate for its support. He believes the legislation is a "landmark legislation" that brings policing closer to the people and empowers states in maintaining law and order. Abiodun is confident that state police will significantly improve intelligence gathering and overall security across Nigeria, contributing to a "safer and more prosperous Nigeria."

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We know our streets and our neighborhoods better than anyone else. This progress finally gives us the opportunity to build a system that is fully responsive to our local realities.

The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday after a two-thirds majority of lawmakers voted in favor during a plenary session. The proposed legislation aims to decentralize policing powers, allowing states to establish and manage their own police forces.

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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.