The Presidency and the National Assembly are working on a constitutional framework to fast-track the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking with journalists after leading Principal Officers of the Red Chamber on a Sallah homage to President Bola Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos.
He said the proposed arrangement would allow states to take part in securing lives and property, while operating under a central regulatory mechanism to ensure national standards.
According to him, “We can’t do it alone. The National Assembly will assist him to ensure that we improve on the area of security. It has actually improved.”
Akpabio noted that although security challenges persist, the situation has improved significantly, stressing that insurgents no longer control any part of the country.
He said: “There is no part of Nigeria today that you have the flag of any insurgents being hoisted.”
The Senate President, however, said attacks still occur, particularly on soft targets such as schools, churches and mosques, which he described as vulnerable areas.
He explained that lawmakers are considering the creation of a national state police commission to regulate recruitment, training, promotion and operational conduct of state police formations across the country.
On funding, Akpabio said the National Assembly was considering an increase in the Police Trust Fund from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of revenue from the production account, with possible contributions from states.
On the economy, he commended President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, describing them as tough but necessary measures aimed at repositioning the country.
He said: “We appreciate Mr President for his reforms, which have done a lot to reposition Nigeria on the trajectory of growth.”
Akpabio listed the removal of fuel subsidy, harmonisation of exchange rates, tax reforms, and the end of Ways and Means financing as key policies that have corrected long-standing distortions in the economy.
He said the reforms had also helped stabilise the foreign exchange system and reduce fuel supply disruptions, while acknowledging that challenges remain.
On infrastructure, he highlighted ongoing projects such as the coastal highway and the Lagos–Badagry–Sokoto corridor, describing them as key to economic and agricultural development.
He also called for increased crude oil production to boost foreign exchange earnings, especially with the operations of the Dangote Refinery and the policy of crude sales in naira.
Akpabio assured that the National Assembly would continue to support efforts to strengthen security and drive economic growth through sustained collaboration with the executive.
Deji Elumoye
Follow us on:
