President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the leadership of the 10th Senate to initiate constitutional amendments that would provide a legal framework for the establishment of State Police as part of efforts to tackle the nation’s worsening security challenges.

The President made the appeal on Wednesday during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stressing that Nigeria’s evolving security threats demand urgent and innovative responses.

According to President Tinubu, the creation of State Police has become imperative to strengthen grassroots policing, enhance intelligence gathering, and enable states to respond more swiftly and effectively to security threats within their jurisdictions.

He said a decentralised policing system would not replace the existing federal security architecture but would complement it, making law enforcement more community-focused and intelligence-driven.

“We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make the right response to this cause,” the President said. “What I ask of you tonight is to start thinking about how best to amend the Constitution to incorporate State Police, so we can secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, and free our children from fear.”

President Tinubu also commended the cordial working relationship between the executive and the Senate, noting that unity among leaders is critical to defeating terrorism and banditry across the country.

“It is a good thing that we are working in harmony. We are looking forward to a country that evolves, a country that takes care of its citizens and protects all,” he said.

The President further thanked the Senate for its consistent support of his administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and ongoing tax reforms, which he said were necessary to end entrenched corruption and stabilise the economy.

“I give you a lot of credit for these bold reforms. Without your collaboration and inspiration, they would not have been possible,” he said. “What we stopped was monumental corruption in the subsidy system and foreign exchange arbitrage. Today, we are enjoying greater economic stability, and prosperity is beckoning.”

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thanked President Tinubu for hosting the Senate leadership at the interfaith event and praised his administration for what he described as visionary leadership at a critical moment in the nation’s history.

Akpabio said the President’s reforms have increased revenue available to governors at the sub-national level, enabling greater investment in critical infrastructure and development projects.

The Senate President offered prayers for President Tinubu’s administration, as well as for peace, stability, and prosperity across the country.