The Presidency has disclosed that Nigeria is moving closer to establishing state police, with a constitutional amendment required for the new policing structure expected to be introduced soon.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the disclosure after a high-level consultative meeting on state police held at the State House in Abuja.

According to Gbajabiamila, discussions on the proposed state policing framework began several months ago on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and have made significant progress.

He explained that establishing state police involves complex constitutional and legal processes that require extensive consultations among stakeholders, including the Executive, the National Assembly, and security agencies.

“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President. Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction,” he said.

Constitutional Amendment Under Consideration

Gbajabiamila stated that attention is now focused on drafting the constitutional amendment that will provide the legal basis for state police, while enabling legislation will follow afterward.

“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter,” he added.

The Chief of Staff noted that there is growing national consensus on the need for state police, stressing that the debate has shifted from whether Nigeria should adopt the system to how it should be implemented effectively.

Tinubu to Receive Report

Gbajabiamila said President Tinubu would be presented with a detailed report of the consultations and recommendations arising from the meeting.

The proposed reform is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by improving grassroots intelligence gathering, enhancing rapid response capabilities, and empowering state governments to address local security challenges more effectively.

President Tinubu has consistently advocated for decentralised policing, arguing that state police would provide a more effective response to the country’s evolving security threats while improving protection of lives and property.

Key Stakeholders Attend Meeting

Among those present at the meeting were Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, alongside other senior government and security officials.

If approved, the state police initiative would represent one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history, potentially reshaping law enforcement and internal security management across the country.

The post Nigeria Moves Closer to State Police as Constitutional Amendment Nears appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Lawmakers in Benin Republic have approved a constitutional amendment extending the presidential term to seven years, renewable only once, ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The amendment passed in an overwhelming 90-19 vote, according to a statement from the national assembly.

Under the revised Article 42, the President of the Republic will now be elected by direct universal suffrage for a single seven-year term, renewable once.

The change also applies to mayors and municipal councillors.

The move comes as President Patrice Talon, who has been in office since 2016, approaches the end of his second term. Talon has publicly stated that he will not seek a third term.

Despite Benin Republic’s relative political stability in the West African region, authorities previously foiled a suspected coup attempt in September 2025.

Prosecutors reported that Oswald Homeky, a former sports minister, allegedly handed over 1.5 billion CFA francs (about $2.5 million) to Djimon Tevoedjre, head of the republican guard.

Businessman Olivier Boko, a friend of Talon and prospective 2026 presidential candidate, was also implicated and arrested in Cotonou.

The amendment is seen as a significant step in political reforms ahead of next year’s elections, establishing clear term limits while maintaining stability in the country’s democratic framework.

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