Tinubu Aide Announces Four States Back State Police Bill

Nnadubem Moghalu, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Planning and Research and Secretary of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, announced that four states (Edo, Rivers, Osun, and Oyo) have approved a constitutional amendment bill to establish state police. This announcement was made during a parliamentary lecture organized by the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja.

The amendment requires the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly to take effect. Moghalu clarified that this constitutional amendment differs from the National Policing Bill being developed by the Federal Government, as it aims to create a constitutional basis for a dual policing system.

He emphasized the importance of defining the powers of state police authorities and warned against potential political abuse. Additionally, Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, and Ndudi Elumelu, former House of Representatives Minority Leader, supported the proposed reforms while calling for safeguards to ensure professionalism and accountability.