Senate to Pass State Police Bill Tuesday, Moves to Strengthen Security Architecture
*Bauchi govt deploys 2,176 forest guards, vigilantes to combat crimes
*111 NAF elite special forces operators complete rigorous training
*UN envoy raises the alarm over Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, religious divisions
*Police DIG raises the alarm over trans-border crimes, seeks stronger community vigilance
Michael Olugbode, Sunday Aborisade, Linus Aleke in Abuja, Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse
All things being equal, the Senate is set to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill seeking the creation of State Police tomorrow, Tuesday.
The development followed the decision of the leadership of the upper chamber to reconvene lawmakers for an emergency plenary session after a quorum shortfall stalled the process before the recent recess, penultimate week.
A principal officer of the Senate, disclosed this to THISDAY on the condition of anonymity in Abuja.
He explained that the proposed constitutional amendment could not be passed before senators proceeded on a three-week recess penultimate week because the chamber failed to muster the constitutionally required two-thirds majority needed for amendments to the nation’s supreme law.
According to the source, the Senate leadership has intensified consultations and appealed to lawmakers across party lines to ensure full attendance at Tuesday’s emergency sitting.
The source said, “We will surely reconvene on Tuesday to pass the bill on State Police. We did not form the quorum, which is the two-thirds majority of the 109 senators required by the Constitution for the passage of a constitutional amendment bill.
“The leadership has spoken with members and there is optimism that the required number will be present,” he said.
The emergency plenary session is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
The Senate had formally notified lawmakers of the sitting through a memo issued on June 15 by the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Emmanuel Odo.
The notice indicated that the session was convened at the instance of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to deliberate on matters considered critical to the nation’s stability and security.
According to the notice, the emergency session would focus on issues of urgent national importance, particularly national security and other pressing concerns requiring immediate legislative intervention.
“The Senate regrets any inconvenience this emergency sitting may cause and urges all distinguished senators to make the necessary arrangements to attend,” the notice stated.
The proposed State Police Bill, which had been passed by the House of Representatives penultimate week, has remained one of the most consequential constitutional reform initiatives before the National Assembly in recent years.
Advocates argue that decentralising policing powers would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based security operations and enable state governments to respond more effectively to local security threats.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under the control of the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force.
However, persistent security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and communal violence in several parts of the country, have renewed calls for the establishment of state-controlled police formations.
Supporters of the proposal maintain that state police would complement federal security efforts and enhance law enforcement efficiency, while critics have expressed concerns about possible political abuse by state governments.
Insecurity: Bauchi Govt Deploys 2,176 Forest Guards, Vigilantes to Combat Crimes
The Bauchi State Government has inaugurated 2,176 newly trained vigilantes and forest security personnel to combat criminal activities and enhance surveillance across the state’s forest reserves.
The inauguration ceremony held at the Police Training School (PTS) in Yelwa, weekend, marked a strategic effort by the state government to secure vulnerable rural areas and deny criminal elements operational hideouts.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Bala Mohammed, the Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, emphasised that while forests were vital for biodiversity and local livelihoods, they have increasingly been exploited by criminals.
“The government approved this rigorous training to strengthen surveillance, protect our forest reserves, and safeguard national resources,” the Governor stated.
He added that the initiative simultaneously addressed rural unemployment by creating meaningful jobs for local youths.
Mohammed, however, warned the new recruits against unprofessional conduct, stressing that the administration maintained zero-tolerance policy for collusion with criminals.
He urged local government authorities, traditional institutions, and host communities to fully support the newly formed Forest Guard Corps.
111 NAF Elite Special Forces Complete Rigorous Training
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has strengthened its operational capabilities with the graduation of 111 personnel from Special Forces Course 13/2026, marking another significant step in its efforts to enhance combat readiness and support ongoing air and joint military operations across the country.
The graduation ceremony, held at the Regiment Training Centre Annex (RTCA) in Bauchi, celebrated the successful completion of an intensive training programme designed to produce highly skilled, mission-focused and combat-ready operators capable of responding effectively to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
According to the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, attended the event as the Special Guest of Honour and was represented by the Chief of Training, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal AY Dari.
Addressing the graduating personnel, the CAS commended them for successfully completing one of the Service’s most demanding training programmes, describing their achievement as a testament to their resilience, discipline and determination.
He reminded the new Special Forces operators that the effectiveness of any military organisation ultimately depended on the quality and commitment of its personnel.
“The strength of any fighting force lies not only in its equipment but in the quality, discipline and determination of its personnel.
“You are now part of an elite cadre entrusted with critical responsibilities in safeguarding our nation. Serve with honour, remain mission-focused and let your actions reflect the values of the Nigerian Air Force.
“Throughout the course, the trainees underwent rigorous physical, mental and tactical conditioning aimed at preparing them for Special Forces missions in complex and demanding operational environments.
The programme was structured to build leadership capacity, strengthen teamwork, improve adaptability and enhance mission effectiveness in support of both air and joint operations,” the statement revealed.
UN Envoy Raises the Alarm over Nigeria’s Worsening Insecurity, Religious Divisions
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, has warned that worsening insecurity in Nigeria was deepening fears of religious polarisation, weakening trust in state protection and fuelling widespread human rights concerns across affected communities.
Speaking at the end of an 11-day fact-finding mission to the country, including engagements in Abuja, Ghanea said testimonies from victims, civil society actors, religious leaders and security officials painted a troubling picture of persistent violence driven by terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and mass displacement, with many communities repeatedly exposed to attacks and left without meaningful access to justice.
She said discussions on freedom of religion during her visit were largely overshadowed by accounts of destruction of villages, forced displacement and the collapse of livelihoods.
She added that in several locations residents described being compelled to enter informal “peace arrangements” with armed groups, including surrendering farmland and accepting coercive conditions in order to survive recurring attacks.
The UN envoy expressed concern that the continued absence of accountability in many of these cases was entrenching cycles of fear and contributing to what she described as growing perceptions of abandonment by the state.
While acknowledging that Nigerian authorities often point to being overstretched by multiple security threats, she said victims increasingly view the response as inadequate given the scale and persistence of violence.
Ghanea also raised concern over what she described as indications of religious profiling in parts of governance and public administration, citing reports that religion is still required on some official forms linked to education, employment and access to services.
She warned that such practices risked reinforcing divisions in a country already grappling with sensitive interfaith relations.