“Security Not Partisan Matter” — City Boy Movement Mobilises For State Police Ratification

The City Boy Movement, CBM, has thrown its weight behind the proposed State Police framework, describing security as a national concern that transcends politics, while pledging to mobilise support across the country to secure ratification of the constitutional amendment by state legislatures.

The group’s position followed the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, by the Senate, a development it described as “the most significant reform to Nigeria’s security architecture since the return to democratic rule.”

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday and signed by its Director-General, Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, the movement welcomed the Senate’s approval of all 26 clauses of the legislation, saying the reform was a direct response to the longstanding demand by Nigerians for a policing system that is closer to the people and better equipped to address local security challenges.

The organisation commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as his determination and political will in driving the reform process.

According to the statement, “From his years as Governor of Lagos State, where he first articulated the case for state police, to his transmission of the executive bill on June 15 and the Senate’s passage just nine days later, the President has demonstrated that leadership is not merely about identifying problems but about marshalling the institutional machinery to solve them.”

The movement also praised the leadership of the National Assembly for accelerating work on the legislation.

It specifically lauded Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and members of the Senate for reconvening during recess to consider the measure, while also acknowledging the House of Representatives under Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu for the earlier passage of the bill.

While celebrating the legislative milestone, the group stressed that the constitutional amendment process was not yet complete, noting that the proposal must still pass through harmonisation by a joint conference committee before being transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification.

“The work, however, is not done. The bill must now proceed through a joint conference committee to harmonise both chambers’ versions before being transmitted to all 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification. This is where the next phase of advocacy begins,” the statement said.

The City Boy Movement subsequently announced plans to activate its structures nationwide to support the final stage of the process.

“The City Boy Movement hereby commits to mobilising its networks and chapters across all six geopolitical zones to advocate for the swift ratification of this constitutional amendment at the state level and directs all state machineries across the federation to immediately act on this progress,” it added.

The group added that it would engage governors, lawmakers, communities and civic stakeholders to ensure that the momentum generated at the National Assembly is sustained.

“We will engage state legislators, governors, communities, and civic stakeholders to ensure that the momentum generated at the National Assembly is sustained and that no bureaucratic delay or political calculation slows down a reform that the Nigerian people have demanded for decades,” the movement disclosed.

Making a case for the reform, the movement argued that security should not be viewed through partisan lenses.

“Security is not a partisan matter. It is the foundation upon which every other aspiration of the Nigerian youth depends: enterprise, education, mobility, and dignity,” it emphasized.

It further maintained that Nigerians across different regions and occupations deserve a policing system that is rooted in local realities.

Adding, “A young farmer in Benue, a trader in Zamfara, a student in Oyo, and an entrepreneur in Rivers all deserve a policing system that understands their terrain, speaks their language, and responds before tragedy becomes irreversible.”

The group urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to remain actively engaged as the bill advances toward its final constitutional stage.

“The Senate has acted. The House has acted. The President has led. Now the states must complete the process,” the City Boy Movement urged.