U.S. Congressman Riley Moore has renewed his call for the decentralization of Nigeria’s policing system, emphasizing that state governments should be empowered to address the country’s escalating insecurity, especially in the Middle Belt.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Moore urged Nigerian authorities to take stronger measures to protect lives and property.
He advocated for structural reforms to Nigeria’s policing framework, stressing that it is time to devolve police powers to the state level.
He said, “Christians in Nigeria continue to face brutal violence and death at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists. The government in Abuja must step up and protect their citizens in the Middle Belt. It’s past time to decentralize police authority so state governments can protect their citizens and stop this horrific persecution.
“Another Christian church in Nigeria destroyed by Fulani militants. These are photos of St James the Great Catholic Church in Adu, Taraba. Just constant terrorism against these Christians.”
Moore’s comments come amid increasing global scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation, with growing advocacy for reforms that would enable states to play a more active role in maintaining law and order.
The renewed push aligns with fresh efforts by the Federal Government to establish state police as part of broader strategies to tackle Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
Recently, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, inaugurated an eight-member committee tasked with implementing state policing, signaling a major step by President Bola Tinubu’s administration toward decentralizing the nation’s security architecture.
The committee is charged with designing a functional framework for the proposed state police system and overseeing its rollout in line with the IGP’s broader policing agenda following his confirmation as the 23rd indigenous Inspector-General of Police.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has called on the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, to begin the constitutional amendment process to accommodate state police. He described the move as critical for reclaiming forest areas from armed groups and bolstering the fight against terrorism.