US Lawmaker: Tinubu Should Be Commended As State Police To Safeguard Christians

According to Ireporter Online, a United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has expressed support for Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process aimed at establishing state police across the country, describing the reform as a step toward improving internal security and strengthening local protection mechanisms.

Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, said the proposed decentralisation of policing powers would enable Nigerian states to respond more effectively to security challenges while reducing overreliance on federal authorities in Abuja. He made the remarks in a post shared on his handle on Wednesday.

The congressman stated that he has long supported the creation of state-level police structures in Nigeria, particularly in the context of addressing violence affecting Christian communities, noting that the reform could play a key role in improving citizen protection.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu for backing the initiative, saying the President deserved recognition for advancing the constitutional amendment process. However, Moore stressed that the proposal must still secure ratification by at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s state Houses of Assembly before it can become law.

“I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces… President Tinubu deserves credit for pushing it forward, but now we need 2/3rds of the states to ratify before it will take effect,” Moore was quoted as saying.

The Nigerian Senate had earlier approved the Constitution Alteration Bill for the creation of state police after it secured the support of more than two-thirds of lawmakers present. The proposed amendment seeks to establish a policing structure that will operate alongside the federal police, with state governors empowered to appoint Commissioners of Police subject to legislative confirmation.

The bill also includes safeguards intended to prevent abuse of power, stating that state police must not be used to target individuals or groups solely for expressing criticism against state authorities, except as permitted by law. The amendment will only become part of the Constitution after it is approved by the required number of state legislatures and completes all constitutional procedures.