Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has welcomed the passage of the constitutional amendment bill establishing state police by the Senate, describing the development as a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen security and improve community policing.
The Senate’s approval of the constitutional amendment bill is widely regarded as one of the most far-reaching security reforms in recent years, as it seeks to decentralise policing and empower states to play a more direct role in maintaining law and order within their jurisdictions.
In a statement on his verified social media handle Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu commended the Senate for approving the landmark legislation, saying it represents a bold and necessary response to the country’s evolving security challenges.
The governor also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to security sector reforms, noting that the push for state policing has been one of the President’s long-standing positions dating back to his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
“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,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He attributed the progress made on the reform to the leadership and vision of President Tinubu, whom he said had consistently advocated the decentralisation of policing as a means of improving security across the country.
“My appreciation also goes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. 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,” the governor stated.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the President’s persistence in advancing the conversation on state policing helped sustain national discourse on the issue and ultimately paved the way for the current breakthrough.
“His resolve kept this conversation alive and brought us to the doorstep of a reform whose time has come,” he added.
The governor said the approval of the bill holds particular significance for Lagos, given the state’s unique security challenges as Nigeria’s commercial and economic hub.
He noted that local authorities possess a better understanding of the peculiar security realities within their communities and are therefore better positioned to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging threats.
“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,” Sanwo-Olu said.
While acknowledging that additional legislative and implementation processes remain before state police become fully operational, the governor described the Senate’s action as a significant step towards building a safer and more secure Nigeria.
“There is still work to be done, but this is major progress toward a safer Nigeria,” he said.