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A United States Congressman, Riley Moore, has welcomed the Nigerian Senate’s passage of the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, describing the move as a critical step toward improving security and protecting vulnerable communities, including persecuted Christians.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, said the proposed decentralisation of policing was a reform he had advocated both publicly and privately while investigating violence against Christians in Nigeria.
In a post on X(formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the lawmaker said the creation of state police would give states greater capacity to safeguard residents and reduce reliance on decisions made at the federal level.
I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces—a reform I’ve called for publicly and privately since I first started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
I cant stress how critical this law that will…
— Rep. Riley M. Moore (@RepRileyMoore) June 24, 2026
He said he was encouraged by the Senate’s decision, noting that empowering states to manage their own security challenges would strengthen efforts to address insecurity and protect communities facing persecution.
“I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces—a reform I’ve called for publicly and privately since I first started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
“I can’t stress how critical this law that will empower states to protect their own citizens and reducing dependence on decision makers in Abuja is to the effort to defend persecuted Christians and address insecurity,” he wrote.
Moore also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the proposal, but pointed out that the constitutional amendment must still be ratified by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can take effect.
The Senate on Wednesday passed the Constitution Alteration Bill on state police after more than two-thirds of lawmakers voted in favour during a manual voting process.
The proposed amendment seeks to establish state police services that would operate alongside the Nigeria Police Force. Under the framework, governors would have the power to appoint Commissioners of Police for their states, subject to confirmation by their respective state legislatures.
The bill also contains provisions to prevent abuse of the system, stipulating that state police cannot be deployed against individuals or groups solely for criticising a state government except where permitted by law.
The amendment will only become part of the Constitution after receiving the required approvals from state assemblies and completing other constitutional procedures.
