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President Tinubu Deserves Credit – US Lawmaker Praises Nigeria’s State Police Breakthrough

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US to closely monitor Nigeria’s 2027 elections, tie future support to religious freedom

President Tinubu Deserves Credit – US Lawmaker Praises Nigeria’s State Police Breakthrough

ABUJA – In a historic move to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture, the House of Representatives has passed the constitutional amendment bill establishing state police across the federation, drawing immediate praise from a prominent United States lawmaker.

Riley Moore, a Republican US House member who has previously raised concerns about security and religious persecution in Nigeria, hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerian lawmakers following Thursday’s plenary vote. The bill, which secured overwhelming support, paves 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 member abstained and none voted against, reflecting near-unanimous bipartisan backing for the far-reaching reform. The voting was conducted manually after Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that the electronic voting system was faulty, with members raising their hands to indicate their positions.

How the House Voted: 289 in Favour, Speaker Abstains

The state police bill was approved during consideration at the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who himself abstained from the vote. According to reports, 290 members were present at plenary for the day’s legislative business. Before voting commenced, the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, presented arguments in support of the proposal and urged lawmakers to back the measure. He stressed the need for a more decentralised policing framework to effectively address the country’s growing security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism. The session was not without drama. Kaduna lawmaker Bashir Zubairu moved a point of order, explaining that the document on the proposed state police put together by the House Committee on Constitution Review only reached lawmakers on Thursday afternoon. He argued that they could not do justice to it because they had not gone through it, but was ruled out of order, allowing the process to proceed.

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Riley Moore: “Critical Step Toward Ending Persecution of Christians”

Reacting to the development in a statement posted on his X account, US Congressman Riley 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. He declared, “Ensuring states can protect their own citizens is a critical step toward ending the persecution of Christians and the overall instability in Nigeria.” The US lawmaker also applauded President 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.

Next Steps: Senate, 24 State Assemblies, Presidential Assent

Before becoming law, the state police bill must clear several additional hurdles. It requires Senate approval – the bill has already scaled second reading in the Senate – as well as endorsement by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly (two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states), and finally presidential assent by President Bola Tinubu. During Senate proceedings, President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, for further consideration. The committee will report back to plenary for voting when lawmakers reconvene after their break. In his presentation of the general principles of the bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele highlighted the national significance of creating state police, noting that the country’s centralised policing system could no longer cope with current realities of escalating insecurity. He argued that the scale of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality required the engagement of people living within communities with the ability to gather useful intelligence to counter criminal elements. Bamidele noted that the bill would promote community policing by fostering trust between law enforcement and the public, relieve pressure on the Federal Police to allow them to focus on interstate crimes and national security operations, and strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure. He gave examples of other federations like the United States, Australia, and Germany where policing is shared by several layers of government, arguing that Nigeria should not remain an exception among federal systems.

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Key Provisions of the State Police Bill

The proposed amendment seeks to fundamentally restructure Nigeria’s policing architecture by creating both Federal Police and State Police formations. The bill amends Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution to formally establish both policing structures. Under the proposal, the National Assembly would be empowered to prescribe the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the Federal Police, while also providing the legal framework and minimum standards for state police services nationwide. Key provisions of the bill include that no state police formation shall commence operations unless established through a law passed by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as complying with national minimum standards. The Federal Police will continue to exercise policing powers in any state until its police service becomes fully operational. Federal intervention is limited to cases of complete breakdown of law and order, upon request of a governor, or where a state police force becomes unable to function. The Inspector-General of Police will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. State Commissioners of Police will be appointed by governors on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving officers of the State Police, subject to confirmation by State Houses of Assembly. Governors may issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police; disputes may be referred to the Nigeria Police Council for final decision. The bill also amends Section 84 of the Constitution by replacing references to the “National Police Council and the Federal Police Service Commission” with the “Nigeria Police Council and the Police Service Commission.”

Background: Why State Police Now?

The push for state police has gained urgency as insecurity spreads across Nigeria. The House approved the bill following a spike in killings, kidnappings, and banditry in the past several months. In May alone, gunmen abducted dozens of students and teachers in separate attacks in Oyo and Borno states, highlighting the reach of criminal and insurgent groups across regions. State governors have long argued that they are held accountable for security but lack operational control over police in their states. Reform advocates argue state police could improve response times, strengthen intelligence gathering, and deploy officers with better knowledge of local communities. The House also approved 18 constitutional amendment clauses as part of the broader constitutional review exercise aimed at reforming critical aspects of governance and public administration. The passage of the bill marks one of the most significant constitutional and security reforms undertaken by the National Assembly since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999. If eventually enacted, the legislation is expected to introduce a multi-layered policing system aimed at improving responses to banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other security threats through greater local participation in policing. The reform could redefine the country’s approach to tackling violent crimes through a more localised security architecture.

Conclusion: Historic Reform Moves Forward

The passage of the state police bill by the House of Representatives represents a watershed moment in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to address pervasive insecurity. With 289 votes in favour, the measure enjoys rare cross-party consensus on a constitutionally complex issue. As the bill now moves to the Senate, then to state assemblies, and finally to President Tinubu’s desk, the coming months will determine whether Nigeria joins the ranks of federal nations like the United States and Germany that operate decentralised policing systems. For US Congressman Riley Moore, who has long advocated for the reform as a solution to both insecurity and religious persecution, Thursday’s vote is proof that persistence pays off. “There’s still a ways to go,” he said, “but this is a sign that all our hard work is paying off.”

President Tinubu Deserves Credit – US Lawmaker Praises Nigeria’s State Police Breakthrough

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Warri Lawyer, Wife Arrested Over Sale of Baby Declared Dead at Birth

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September 10, 2026

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Warri Lawyer, Wife Arrested Over Sale of Baby Declared Dead at Birth

Warri Lawyer, Wife Arrested Over Sale of Baby Declared Dead at Birth

Delta State Police rescue child after mother discovers newborn allegedly alive three years after being told she died during delivery

A Warri lawyer, Barrister Solomon Igbiaye, and his wife, Abigail Igbiaye, have been arrested by the Delta State Police Command over the alleged sale of a newborn baby three years after the child’s mother was reportedly told that she had died. The couple were arrested and taken to the Ekpan Police Station on Wednesday after the mother lodged a complaint upon discovering that the child she was told had died in 2023 was allegedly still alive. The couple were allegedly working with a woman identified as Mary, also known as Bridget, in the suspected baby-selling scheme.

According to a source familiar with the case, the mother became pregnant in 2023 after returning to her village in Jos, Plateau State, but was allegedly abandoned by the man who fathered the pregnancy. The source said a woman from her village noticed her condition and offered to take her to Warri, where she was allegedly received by Igbiaye’s wife, who assured her that she would be cared for until she delivered the baby. The source noted that the mother was allegedly unaware of any plan involving her unborn child. According to the account, the woman had previously lived in Sapele before returning to her village in Jos. She later became pregnant after entering into a relationship with a man who allegedly denied responsibility after she informed him of the pregnancy. The source said the man subsequently left her as the pregnancy progressed. “After hearing her story, the woman promised to take her to Warri for help. Upon arriving in Warri, she was approached by the lawyer’s wife, who assured her that she would be taken care of until she gave birth. Unknown to her, there were ulterior motives at play,” the source said.

Days before her delivery, the mother was reportedly taken to Vicar Clinic, where labour was allegedly induced. According to the source, after her water broke, she was taken into the operating room for a Caesarean section and delivered a baby girl. A nurse reportedly showed her the newborn shortly after the delivery, but she allegedly never saw the child again. The source said Bridget later informed the mother that the baby had died. The mother reportedly became suspicious and demanded to be taken to the place where her child had allegedly been buried, but Bridget allegedly refused.

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Four days after the delivery, the mother was reportedly taken in a vehicle by Igbiaye’s wife and Bridget and abandoned in a dilapidated building in the Shaguolo area of Ekpan. Her condition subsequently deteriorated as her Caesarean-section wounds became infected, while she allegedly had no money or means of caring for herself. She reportedly survived by begging for food before eventually securing transportation back to Jos in a truck. The source alleged that Igbiaye’s wife paid Bridget N166,000 in connection with the arrangement, while the mother was allegedly not given any money. The source further alleged that a housemaid identified as Kindness, who reportedly worked at the lawyer’s residence and was from the same village as the mother, later told her that the baby had been brought to the lawyer’s home. Kindness allegedly sent her a photograph of the baby and told her that the child strongly resembled her.

The alleged revelation prompted the mother to question the circumstances surrounding the reported death of her daughter. According to the source, the photograph and information provided by Kindness raised suspicions that the child may not have died as she had been told, but could have been unlawfully transferred or sold. The lawyer, his wife and Bridget have been accused of conspiring in the alleged transaction. However, the circumstances surrounding the child’s birth, disappearance and subsequent whereabouts remain subject to police investigation. The suspects were subsequently taken to the Effurun Area Command for further investigation. The source told THE WHISTLER on Thursday that the baby had been rescued. “The child is with the police. Police rescued the baby this afternoon (Wednesday) upon the arrest of the duo,” the source said. The police are expected to establish what happened to the baby following the Caesarean delivery and determine whether anyone was involved in an alleged attempt to sell or unlawfully transfer the child.

When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, did not respond to messages seeking confirmation of the arrests and rescue of the child. The Delta State Police Command has previously demonstrated commitment to tackling child trafficking and related crimes in the state. In December 2025, the command arrested a woman for allegedly faking the abduction of her two-month-old baby and selling the child for N1.5 million to a pastor in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area. The woman had alleged that gunmen forcefully took her baby from her while she was in a tricycle and pushed her out. However, investigations revealed that the mother had staged the abduction and sold the child to the cleric.

The case bears similarities to other reported incidents of babies being declared dead at birth only to be discovered alive later. In June 2026, the Nigeria Police Force uncovered an alleged child trafficking operation at a private medical facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leading to the arrest of several suspects, including the hospital’s Chief Medical Director. Investigators alleged that live babies delivered at the hospital were taken away and trafficked, while some mothers were falsely informed that their newborns had died during childbirth. The investigation took a more disturbing turn following the discovery of a dead infant allegedly recovered from the doctor’s office, which was reportedly embalmed for preservation. Investigators alleged that the deceased infant was sometimes presented to mothers as evidence that their babies had died. In 2014, police in Delta State arrested a couple accused of buying and selling children, including a day-old girl. The couple, a midwife and her husband, were accused of running a baby-buying scheme out of a medical store they operated in Warri. The scheme was allegedly discovered when a man desperate for cash to buy a tricycle agreed to sell his newborn child to the couple without telling his wife. When the mother awoke and asked to see her child, her husband told her the baby had died and already been buried.

The police have advised expectant mothers to ensure a trusted relative is present during delivery and urged hospitals to maintain adequate security measures in maternity wards to prevent the theft of newborns.

Warri Lawyer, Wife Arrested Over Sale of Baby Declared Dead at Birth

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One Killed, Two Rescued as Two-Storey Building Collapses During Demolition in Lagos

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September 10, 2026

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One Killed, Two Rescued as Two-Storey Building Collapses During Demolition in Lagos

One Killed, Two Rescued as Two-Storey Building Collapses During Demolition in Lagos

LASEMA confirms incident at Aboru, Alimosho; urges compliance with building regulations

One person has been killed and two others rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed in the Aboru area of Lagos State. The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) , Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday. According to him, the collapse occurred at about 12:56 a.m. on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

Oke-Osanyintolu stated that the Alpha Eagle Response Team of LASEMA was immediately dispatched from its Cappa, Oshodi Response Unit after receiving a distress call. The team arrived at the scene within the projected response time and confirmed that workers were trapped beneath the rubble. “On arrival, first responders confirmed that the structure had collapsed during demolition activities, with workers trapped under the debris,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. He noted that the agency activated the state’s Emergency Response Plan and took charge of the rescue operation, coordinating other emergency responders at the scene.

The LASEMA boss said two adult males were rescued alive from the rubble and given first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before they were taken to a nearby health facility for further medical attention. “Through a coordinated search and rescue operation, two adult males were extricated alive from the rubble and were promptly administered life-saving first aid by personnel of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, before being moved to a nearby health facility for further medical attention,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. He, however, said one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure. “Sadly, one adult male was recovered dead from beneath the collapsed structure. The agency commiserates with the family of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured,” Oke-Osanyintolu noted.

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Oke-Osanyintolu said the rescue operation was being carried out jointly by LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and LASAMBUS . He added that the area had been cordoned off to protect residents and allow rescue workers to operate safely. According to the LASEMA statement, community leaders and security agencies were also collaborating with emergency responders to facilitate access and ensure that the operation was concluded safely.

The Permanent Secretary urged residents and developers to comply with building regulations and engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction work. “We urge members of the public and developers to adhere strictly to building regulations and to engage only certified professionals for demolition and construction activities,” he stated. He also urged residents to promptly report suspected unsafe building or demolition activities through the 767 and 112 toll-free emergency numbers.

Under Lagos State regulations, developers must obtain a demolition permit from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) before commencing any demolition work. The permit application must be accompanied by documents including a copy of the existing building plan permit, a certified true copy of the title document with a survey plan, photographs of the existing structure, and a sworn affidavit indemnifying the government of any litigation. After obtaining the demolition permit, developers must notify the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) of their intention to commence demolition. They are also required to engage a registered civil or structural engineer to supervise the demolition work and ensure safety precautions are observed. Additionally, developers must obtain an insurance policy covering all risks associated with the demolition. It was not immediately clear whether the demolition at No. 42 Governors Road had the required approval or regulatory supervision.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the Lagos State Government remained committed to improving emergency response across the state, including the decentralisation of response units to achieve a 10-minute response time. According to him, the measures were aimed at ensuring that emergency responders could reach incident scenes promptly and save more lives.

The incident comes less than three months after a three-storey shopping complex collapsed in the Alakija area of Lagos State, killing at least nine people and leaving 27 others injured . The building, located on Old Ojo Road by Alakija Bus Stop, off the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, collapsed at about 11:37 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving multiple agencies . According to reports, the rescued victims sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Preliminary reports indicated that most of the victims were shop owners and customers who had begun their daily business activities.

The General Manager of LASBCA, Mrs. Florence Gbaye, subsequently announced that the agency had begun an investigation into the collapse, including a secondary structural analysis to determine the cause. She urged Lagos residents and community leaders to promptly report distressed, abandoned or suspicious buildings to the agency for immediate intervention. “Building safety is everyone’s responsibility. We encourage residents to immediately notify LASBCA of any building showing signs of distress or any incident in their environment so that necessary action can be taken before lives and property are endangered,” she said.

Building collapses occur frequently in Nigeria, with experts often attributing such incidents to aging structures, violations of building regulations, substandard construction materials and inadequate regulatory enforcement. The Lagos State Government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of compliance with building regulations and the engagement of certified professionals for all construction and demolition activities to prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

One Killed, Two Rescued as Two-Storey Building Collapses During Demolition in Lagos

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Akpabio Denies Anti-North Remark, Petitions DSS Over Viral Graphic

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September 10, 2026

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Abductions, Killings Are Sponsored to Undermine Tinubu’s Administration - Akpabio
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio Denies Anti-North Remark, Petitions DSS Over Viral Graphic

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over a purported anti-North statement attributed to him and circulated on Facebook and other digital platforms.

Akpabio, through his Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, asked the intelligence agency to urgently investigate what he described as the “creation and coordinated dissemination” of a false, inflammatory and divisive statement allegedly made by him.

The petition followed the circulation of a graphic bearing Akpabio’s photograph and his designation as President of the Senate. The graphic attributed to him the statement: “Northerners, you will be the ones to suffer the most, if you allow Tinubu to lose the election.”

Akpabio has denied making the statement, insisting that the quotation was fabricated and that there was no credible evidence linking him to it.

According to the petition, no date, venue, speech, interview, video, audio recording, official statement or credible news report has been produced to authenticate the purported comment.

“The President of the Senate did not make this statement,” the petition stated, adding that the graphic contained no identifiable publisher or verifiable source.

Akpabio’s office alleged that the material appeared to have been deliberately manufactured to deceive the public, provoke regional resentment against the Senate President and portray him as threatening people from Northern Nigeria.

The petition also alleged that a preliminary examination of publicly accessible Facebook records identified some of the earliest traceable accounts that amplified the disputed graphic.

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One of those named was Abdullai Musa, who allegedly posted the material in a Facebook group identified as Sheik Muhammad bin Uthman Group 24.

The petition also identified Uzoma Chilaka, whose Facebook post allegedly reproduced the graphic alongside commentary attributed to Boniface Uzoma Chilaka.

It further referred to Engineer Ibrahim Umar Ammar, whose verified Facebook account allegedly reproduced the graphic and similar commentary.

Akpabio’s office, however, stressed that the individuals mentioned in the petition should not be presumed guilty of creating or circulating the alleged false statement.

Instead, they were described as “material persons of interest” whose alleged early and substantial involvement in sharing the material could provide investigators with information needed to establish its origin.

The petition urged the DSS to investigate the publication records, devices and communications of relevant persons and establish the provenance of the disputed image.

It also asked the security agency to determine the identity of the person who created the graphic, its original uploader, possible sponsors and intermediaries, as well as the network through which the material was allegedly distributed.

Akpabio’s media team separately challenged those circulating the allegation to provide evidence that he made the purported statement.

His media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, described the allegation as a “complete fabrication” and said those behind it should produce evidence such as a video, audio recording, speech, transcript, interview, press release or credible news report showing where and when Akpabio made the alleged comment.

The controversy comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with social media playing an increasingly prominent role in political campaigns, commentary and the dissemination of claims about politicians.

The alleged statement has attracted particular attention because of its reference to Northern Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 2027 presidential election, potentially giving the claim a strong regional and political dimension.

A review by FactWatch also found no credible evidence that Akpabio made the alleged statement. The fact-checking platform reported that it could not establish the quotation through an authentic speech, recording or credible contemporary news report.

Akpabio’s latest action therefore shifts the matter from a social media controversy to a formal request for a DSS investigation into the origin and circulation of the disputed material.

The Senate President’s office wants investigators to establish whether the graphic was deliberately fabricated, who produced it, how it was distributed and whether there was any coordinated effort behind its circulation.

The petition also seeks appropriate action against anyone found to have deliberately created or disseminated the material in violation of Nigerian law.

For now, Akpabio maintains that he did not make the alleged anti-North statement, while the people identified in the petition remain persons of interest and have not been established as guilty of any offence.

The outcome of any investigation by the DSS will determine the origin of the disputed graphic and whether anyone will face further legal action over its alleged creation or dissemination.

Akpabio Denies Anti-North Remark, Petitions DSS Over Viral Graphic

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