Senate’s Passage of State Police Bill Historic, Says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the Senate’s approval of the State Police Bill as a landmark development in Nigeria’s democratic and security journey.

In a statement, the governor congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the passage of the constitutional amendment bill, noting that the move represents one of the most significant reforms of the country’s security architecture in recent years. He said the proposed state police system would strengthen grassroots policing and improve public safety across the federation.

Sanwo-Olu described the Senate’s approval of the bill’s 26 clauses as a major step towards deepening federalism and enhancing the nation’s ability to address security challenges. According to him, the reform reflects Tinubu’s long-standing support for state policing, a position he has maintained since his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

The governor expressed optimism that the proposed arrangement would improve efforts to combat terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, and other criminal activities by allowing communities and state governments to play more active roles in security management. He added that decentralising policing would strengthen intelligence gathering and enable quicker responses to local threats.

Sanwo-Olu also commended members of the Senate for what he called a historic decision and urged state Houses of Assembly to expedite consideration of the bill so that the constitutional amendment process can be completed without delay.

The Senate approved the bill as part of broader efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges through a dual policing structure that would allow states to establish their own police services while the federal police retain responsibility for national security matters. The proposal still requires ratification by at least two-thirds of state assemblies before it can become law.