Tinubu Advocates for State Police Constitutional Amendment

On Friday night, President Bola Tinubu called on the House of Representatives to amend the constitution to establish state police, highlighting the necessity of safeguards to prevent abuse by state governors. This appeal was made during an interfaith dinner at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and marks Tinubu's third public push for constitutional amendments within a week.

He stressed that establishing state police should not lead to a "free fall" of governance and urged lawmakers to work together to recognize the realities of local security challenges. Tinubu's remarks included a reference to historical abuses during Nigeria's first republic, where regional police forces were allegedly used to intimidate political opponents.

He emphasized the importance of learning from past experiences to ensure that state police do not become tools for political persecution. The establishment of state police requires constitutional amendments, which must be passed by two-thirds of the National Assembly and ratified by at least 24 of the 36 state houses of assembly.