President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria, in what is being described as a major step toward restructuring the country’s internal security framework.

The proposed bill aims to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide legal backing for the creation of state-controlled police forces in addition to the existing federal policing system.

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The reform is intended to decentralise security operations and improve rapid response to growing security challenges across different regions.

According to the proposal, state governments will be empowered to establish and manage their own police commands, with oversight structures expected to be defined through constitutional provisions and supporting laws.

The move comes amid rising concerns over insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping in several parts of the country.

The administration has repeatedly argued that a centralised policing system is no longer sufficient to address Nigeria’s complex security realities.

Tinubu had earlier called on the National Assembly to consider constitutional amendments that would enable state policing, describing it as a necessary step toward strengthening grassroots security management.

The proposal has already gained momentum within the National Assembly, where lawmakers have been working on various constitutional amendment bills aimed at decentralising policing powers.

The Senate is expected to deliberate on the bill in an emergency plenary session, as the proposal continues to generate nationwide debate on the future of policing and security in Nigeria.

Details later………. 

The Chairman of the Taraba State Environmental and Sanitation Agency, Illiya Kefas, has explained the reason behind the latest reduction in the monthly allowance of street sweepers under the “Operation Keep Taraba Clean” programme, sparking fresh reactions across the state.

The allowance of the workers, popularly known as street sweepers, was reduced from ₦15,000 to ₦10,000, marking another cut in their earnings since the programme was introduced in 2023.

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Kefas said the decision was necessary to sustain the agency’s operations due to rising workforce numbers and increasing financial pressure across the state’s 16 local government areas in Taraba State.

According to him, the adjustment was not a directive from Governor Agbu Kefas, but an internal administrative measure taken by the agency to manage its expanding responsibilities.

“The arrangement was an internal decision to sustain the activities of the agency and not a directive from the governor,” he said.

He explained that the agency now oversees a large structure that includes 16 local government coordinators, supervisors, monitoring teams, and more than 100 casual sanitation workers.

Kefas added that coordinators earn between ₦100,000 and ₦200,000 monthly, while supervisors receive about ₦50,000, and the agency also spends over ₦5 million monthly on feeding casual workers engaged in sanitation duties.

The latest reduction has added to a series of pay cuts affecting street sweepers since 2023. Initially, workers earned ₦20,000 monthly when the programme began, but their pay was reduced to ₦15,000 in 2024 and further slashed to ₦10,000 in 2026.

Defending the decision, Kefas maintained that workers dissatisfied with the new allowance were free to leave the programme.

“I have the right to ask my people to work at ₦10,000. Anyone interested will work, and if you are not, you can go your way,” he stated.

He also cited limited allocations from the Federation Account and increasing wage obligations following new recruitments as part of the financial challenges affecting the agency.

The development has continued to generate mixed reactions, with many residents questioning the sustainability and fairness of the repeated salary reductions.

At least two people have been killed following a deadly ambush by suspected gunmen in Talma Village, Ngel District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The victims, identified as Sadiq Muhammad, 28, and Mas’ud Abdullahi, 29, were reportedly attacked around 8 p.m. on Monday while heading to their cattle pen.

Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, condemned the attack and called on security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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According to Babayo, the attackers opened fire on the victims multiple times, killing them on the spot.

“The perpetrators shot them several times, resulting in their deaths. This act of terrorism has become an everyday occurrence. People can no longer move freely without being attacked or killed,” he said.

One of the survivors, Ismaila Haruna, narrated his ordeal, revealing how he narrowly escaped death during the attack.

Haruna said he and the deceased were travelling on motorcycles to their cattle pen when armed men suddenly emerged and began shooting indiscriminately.

“Three of us were riding motorcycles when suddenly gunmen opened fire indiscriminately. We all fell down. My colleagues died instantly, but I managed to escape and reported the incident to personnel of Operation Enduring Peace,” he said.

The survivor added that security personnel later escorted him back to the scene, where the bodies of the deceased and their motorcycle were recovered.

He said the remains of the victims were subsequently released to their families for burial.

Babayo urged members of the community to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands while security agencies investigate the incident.

“I am calling on all members to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands. We should all be law-abiding citizens,” he added.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alfred Alabo, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.