US Lawmaker Pushes for the Establishment of State-Level Police Forces in Nigeria

A United States Congress member, Riley Moore, has advocated for Nigeria’s policing structure to be decentralized, arguing that state governments should be granted greater authority to address the nation’s deteriorating security situation.

Moore made the call in a post on X on Wednesday, urging Nigerian authorities to take decisive steps to protect citizens, particularly in the troubled Middle Belt region.

The US lawmaker expressed concern over the continued violence affecting communities in Nigeria and stressed the need for structural reforms in the country’s policing framework.

According to him, allowing state governments to control their own police structures would enable quicker responses to security threats.

“Christians in Nigeria continue to face brutal violence and death at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists. The government in Abuja must step up and protect their citizens in the Middle Belt. 

It’s past time to decentralize police authority so state governments can protect their citizens and stop this horrific persecution,” Moore wrote.

He also referenced the destruction of a Christian church in Taraba State.

“Another Christian church in Nigeria destroyed by Fulani militants. These are photos of St James the Great Catholic Church in Adu, Taraba. Just constant terrorism against these Christians,” he added.

Moore’s comments reflect growing international attention on Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the rising calls for reforms that would allow sub-national governments to play a greater role in maintaining law and order.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has taken steps towards establishing state police as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, recently inaugurated an eight-member committee tasked with driving the implementation of state policing.

The committee is expected to develop the framework for the proposed model and coordinate its rollout in line with the policing reforms being pursued by the current administration.

President Bola Tinubu has also called on members of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, to begin the process of amending the Constitution to allow the creation of state police.

According to the President, decentralising the country’s policing system is necessary to reclaim forests from armed groups and effectively combat terrorism across the country.