Senate President Godswill Akpabio has disclosed that about 30 state Houses of Assembly have endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria.

Akpabio made the disclosure on Wednesday while receiving members of the Arewa Revival Project, a northern youth organisation with membership across the 19 northern states, at his office in Abuja. He expressed optimism that the constitutional amendment process was nearing completion and could pave the way for decentralised policing.

According to the Senate President, establishing state police would complement existing security structures and strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity by bringing law enforcement closer to local communities.

“As I speak with you now, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, it may not take us a month before we have a state police system, a decentralised policing in the country, because about 30 states have endorsed the amendment to the Nigerian constitution to bring about a state police system, which will further increase the security of the nation,” Akpabio said.

He also expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges, urging young people to remain hopeful and support efforts to restore peace and stability.

Beyond the proposed policing reform, Akpabio urged the visiting youth group to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He argued that continuity in government would give the administration more time to implement its economic reforms and security policies.

The Senate President defended the administration’s economic direction, saying Tinubu had taken steps to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil revenues and reform the tax system. He also pointed to changes aimed at addressing longstanding structural problems in the economy.

Akpabio called on young Nigerians to rise above what he described as paid social media propaganda against the government. He alleged that some individuals criticising the President and his supporters online were being paid, although he did not provide evidence for the claim in the supplied report.

He encouraged the youth to organise periodic grassroots engagements to explain government policies and respond to criticism rather than attempt to compete constantly with critics on social media.

Akpabio further said members of the National Assembly supported Tinubu’s bid for a second term, arguing that the administration needed time for its policies to produce results. He maintained that continuity would help consolidate ongoing reforms.

The proposed state police system remains a constitutional reform initiative. Although Akpabio cited endorsements from about 30 state assemblies, the supplied report does not provide a state-by-state breakdown or establish that all constitutional requirements for creating state police have been completed.