What Riley Moore Said About Tinubu’s Government Is Stirring Reactions
A member of the United States House of Representatives, Riley Moore, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for backing Nigeria’s proposed state police reform, urging Nigerians to give the President credit for supporting what he described as a landmark security initiative.
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, made the remarks on Wednesday in a post on his official X account shortly after the Nigerian Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police forces across the federation.
The proposed legislation, which secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators, seeks to create state police forces that will operate alongside the Nigeria Police Force to address growing security challenges nationwide.
Reacting to the development, Moore described the Senate’s approval as a major step toward strengthening security and empowering states to better protect their residents.
According to the U.S. lawmaker, he has consistently advocated—both publicly and privately—for the establishment of state-level policing in Nigeria, particularly in response to attacks on Christian communities and the country’s broader security challenges.
“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,” Moore wrote.
BREAKING: Senate Passes State Police Bill
He stressed that the proposed law would enable state governments to take greater responsibility for security while reducing dependence on decisions made at the federal level.
“I can’t stress how critical this law that will empower states to protect their own citizens and reduce dependence on decision makers in Abuja is to the effort to defend persecuted Christians and address insecurity,” he added.
Moore also praised President Tinubu for supporting the reform, saying the Nigerian leader deserved recognition for helping advance the proposal.
“President Tinubu deserves credit for pushing it forward, but now we need two-thirds of the states to ratify before it will take effect,” he stated.
The constitutional amendment, however, is yet to become law. It must still be approved by at least 24 State Houses of Assembly and satisfy other constitutional requirements before it can be incorporated into the Nigerian Constitution.
If eventually enacted, the legislation will establish a state policing structure across the country, with governors empowered to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by their state Houses of Assembly.
The bill also contains safeguards against abuse, including a provision prohibiting the use of state police against individuals or groups solely for criticising a state government, except where permitted by law.
The proposal is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most significant security reforms in recent years as the country continues to explore new strategies for tackling insecurity and strengthening law enforcement at the subnational level.
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