US Lawmaker Hails Tinubu, Reps Over State Police Bill Passage
A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the House of Representatives following the passage of the state police bill, describing the move as a major step towards tackling insecurity and the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The House of Representatives approved the bill during Thursday’s plenary, paving the way for states to establish and manage their own police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
A total of 289 lawmakers voted in support of the proposal, while one voted against it and another abstained.
Before becoming law, the bill must secure approval from the Senate, receive endorsement from at least 24 state Houses of Assembly, and obtain presidential assent.
Reacting to the development in a statement posted on his X account, Moore expressed satisfaction with the House’s decision.
He said he was “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.”
“In fact, I raised this idea directly with Nigeria’s First Lady during her visit to Washington and have done so repeatedly with every Nigerian delegation I’ve met with,” he added.
Moore stated that empowering state governments to handle security matters more effectively would help improve safety across the country.
“Ensuring states can protect their own citizens is a critical step toward ending the persecution of Christians and the overall instability in Nigeria,” he said.
The US lawmaker also applauded Tinubu for supporting the legislation and encouraging lawmakers to advance it through the National Assembly.
He added that “President Tinubu deserves credit for supporting this legislation and urging its passage through Nigeria’s parliament.”
Moore, however, noted that more work remains before state police forces can become operational.
“There’s still a ways to go before state-level police forces will be in place, but this is a sign that all our hard work is paying off,” he said.
