By John Alechenu, Abuja

An Ekiti State chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ayodele Arike, has urged the Presidency to collaborate with governors and intensify public awareness on the benefits of state policing to secure nationwide support ahead of a constitutional amendment.

Arike made the suggestion while speaking on a live programme on Arise Television on Saturday.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier told senators at an interfaith iftar in Abuja that it was time to consider adding state policing to the Constitution, arguing that it would enable state governments to better secure their territories. He reiterated the position while hosting the leadership of the House of Representatives on Friday.

Senator Arike said that, in response to the country’s security challenges, state policing remains one of the most effective ways to deter criminals operating within local communities.

He explained that local police units are better positioned to identify unusual activities, gather intelligence, and act swiftly because of their familiarity with residents and community dynamics.

“That has been the major attraction of state and local policing,” he said, expressing confidence that the National Assembly would support the initiative, given the President’s strategic approach to governance.

Arike, however, stressed the need for extensive public education on the pros and cons of state police to win over stakeholders who previously opposed the idea.

He recalled that efforts to introduce state policing during the 2010 constitutional amendment process faced stiff opposition but noted that worsening insecurity has since shifted public perception.

“Nobody wants to waste his life, and whatever the President can do is a good strategy to ensure that the security of lives and property of Nigerians is guaranteed,” he said.

The senator suggested that amending Section 214 of the Constitution to move policing to the Concurrent List would allow both federal and state governments to operate their own police forces without abolishing the federal structure.

“People must understand that having state police does not erase the Federal Police,” he said, adding that constitutional amendment would still require ratification by two-thirds of the 36 states.

He expressed optimism that, given the gravity of security concerns nationwide, stakeholders within and outside the National Assembly would support the reform.