President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has urged lawmakers to ensure full attendance as the National Assembly prepares to consider a constitutional amendment that could pave the way for the establishment of state police services across Nigeria.
Akpabio’s appeal followed the formal transmission of the Constitution Alteration Bill by President Bola Tinubu, seeking to create State Police Services as part of efforts to address the country’s growing security challenges.
The proposed amendment is expected to come up for debate when the Senate reconvenes on Wednesday.
Speaking on the development, retired Brigadier General Peter Aro described state policing as a necessary security reform rather than a political initiative. He argued that state governments should be granted adequate authority to tackle local security threats while operating within clearly defined constitutional limits.
According to Aro, state police would function as an extension of state authority, funded and managed by state governments with responsibility for maintaining local security.
He noted that the arrangement would encourage states to invest in modern surveillance technologies and information and communication technology infrastructure, enabling a more intelligence-driven approach to security management.
Aro further stated that a federal command-and-control centre could integrate security data from all states, providing the Federal Government with real-time intelligence on threats across the country.
