U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has applauded the National Assembly’s approval of Nigeria’s proposed state police law, describing it as a major step toward tackling insecurity, protecting vulnerable communities, and strengthening local security architecture across the country.
Riley Moore made the comments on Thursday in response to reports that Nigeria’s parliament had approved constitutional amendments allowing the country’s 36 states to establish and run their own police forces alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force.
The Republican lawmaker, who has previously called for international attention to attacks on Christians in Nigeria, reacted to the development following the reported approval of the proposal.
In a statement posted on X handle, the U.S. lawmaker said he had consistently advocated the creation of state-controlled policing structures since U.S. President Donald Trump requested that he investigate what he described as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
He said, “I am thankful to see that Nigeria’s House of Representatives passed this important policy that I’ve been calling for since POTUS first asked me to investigate the genocide against Christians in Nigeria.”
The congressman said he had raised the issue several times with Nigerian authorities, including Oluremi Tinubu during her visit to Washington, as well as with members of various Nigerian delegations he met in the United States.
Riley Moore also argued that allowing states to establish their own police forces would help local governments respond more effectively to security threats and better protect citizens.
BACKSTORY…
Meanwhile, his comments came shortly after the House of Representatives formally passed the state police bill, effectively paving way for the decentralisation of the Nigerian policing structure.
The resolution came following the voting by 289 lawmakers in favour of state police during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
Recall that the House committed Thursday’s plenary to voting on the State Police Bill following the spike in killings, kidnappings, and banditry in the past few months.
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