NGO says state police bill will improve women's safety and inclusion.

* Urges Tinubu to assent to legislation

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The non‑governmental organisation iTeach Africa Initiative welcomed the Senate’s passage of the State Police Bill, calling the legislation a significant advance for the safety of women and other vulnerable groups nationwide.

According to the organisation, the proposed state policing framework could strengthen protection for women and girls, broaden grassroots access to justice, and make security institutions more responsive to the specific challenges faced by local communities.

This view was expressed in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by iTeach Africa Initiative founder Ebimoboere Alaibe Elezieanya.

Elezieanya said the bill could transform the security landscape for women, who bear a disproportionate burden of the country’s insecurity through gender‑based violence, domestic abuse, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and related crimes.

She added that state‑controlled police services would bring law enforcement closer to communities and provide a more effective mechanism for addressing security concerns affecting women, especially in rural and underserved areas where federal security agencies are limited.

Elezieanya also highlighted the bill’s potential to deepen gender inclusion within the country’s law‑enforcement architecture by creating new avenues for women’s participation in policing and security decision‑making.

She said: “The State Police Bill, when backed by the right implementation framework, will be a major victory for women because it creates opportunities for greater female representation within law enforcement institutions.”

“This, in turn, will strengthen efforts to address gender‑based crimes and other offences that disproportionately affect women and girls,” she added.

Elezieanya noted that security policies are more effective when they reflect diverse perspectives and adequately consider the needs of women and local communities.

She said: “As advocates of women’s inclusion in leadership and decision‑making, we believe that security policies that accommodate diverse viewpoints and community realities will receive greater attention and implementation.”

“This will create a safer environment for women to live, thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.”

The organisation also expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu would assent to the bill once it is transmitted to him, noting that improved security at the state and community levels would have positive economic consequences.

Elezieanya argued that a more secure environment would enable women entrepreneurs, farmers, traders and professionals to carry out their activities without fear, thereby contributing significantly to economic growth, job creation and food security.

She maintained that the successful implementation of state policing could serve as a catalyst for broader social and economic inclusion, especially for women whose productive activities are often disrupted by insecurity.

The group therefore urged relevant stakeholders to ensure that the eventual operational framework for state police incorporates gender‑sensitive policies and guarantees adequate representation of women within the new security structure.