A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has welcomed the Nigerian Senate’s passage of the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, describing the move as a critical step toward improving security and protecting vulnerable communities across the country.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, expressed his support in a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday following the Senate’s approval of the bill.
The proposed legislation seeks to decentralise Nigeria’s policing structure by allowing individual states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
Reacting to the development, Moore said the reform aligns with recommendations he has consistently advocated since becoming involved in discussions surrounding insecurity and attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
“I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces—a reform I’ve called for publicly and privately since I first started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria,” Moore wrote.
According to the American lawmaker, empowering states to take greater responsibility for local security would reduce dependence on central authorities and improve the capacity of state governments to respond effectively to threats facing their residents.
“I can’t stress how critical this law that will empower states to protect their own citizens and reduce dependence on decision-makers in Abuja is to the effort to defend persecuted Christians and address insecurity,” he added.
Moore also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the initiative, noting that the proposed amendment represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to reform its security architecture.
“President Tinubu deserves credit for pushing it forward,” he said.
However, the lawmaker noted that the constitutional amendment process is not yet complete. He pointed out that the bill must still secure the approval of at least two-thirds of the country’s state Houses of Assembly before it can become law.
The Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill on Wednesday after more than two-thirds of lawmakers voted in support of the proposal during a manual voting exercise.
If eventually adopted, the legislation will create a dual policing system in which federal and state police institutions operate concurrently under clearly defined constitutional responsibilities.
Under the proposed framework, state governors would be empowered to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the state Houses of Assembly.
The bill also contains provisions aimed at preventing abuse of power. Among the safeguards is a clause stipulating that state police cannot be deployed against individuals or groups solely for criticising a state government except in accordance with the law.
The proposed establishment of state police has generated widespread debate in Nigeria, with supporters arguing that it will improve local security responses and strengthen community policing, while critics have raised concerns about potential political interference and misuse by state governments.
The legislation will now proceed to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process, requiring ratification by state legislatures before it can take effect.