The Nigerian Senate has scheduled amendments to the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of state police, with indications that the proposed legislation will soon be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for consideration.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, said stakeholders across the federation “are on the same page with the National Assembly on the establishment of state police.”
Bamidele explained that the National Assembly would isolate the proposal from the broader constitutional amendment process and expedite its passage because of its national importance.
He also revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 36 state governors were in support of the initiative.
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According to him, the legislative week beginning on Tuesday would be crucial for the Senate, as deliberations on state police would top its agenda.
In the statement, Bamidele said: “Our position is very clear on state police. We are standing with Nigerians on the issue of state police. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time to establish a state police than now.
“That is where we stand. Where we are coming in is to now help translate this popular desire of the people into reality as elected representatives of the Nigerian people.
“We came to the conclusion that we are going to pass the constitutional amendment in this respect to make a provision for state police. If I can tell you as of today, that will come to fruition this very week because there is no need to allow any further delay.
“There have been a series of meetings involving the National Assembly. When I say the National Assembly, I mean the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Benjamin Kalu, both of whom are representing the National Assembly.
“They have held a series of meetings with the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Tunji Disu, and other stakeholders over the past week. That is why I can confidently say that we are pursuing the matter this week.
“It is going to be the subject we will be dealing with this week. What we have resolved to do is to isolate it from the rest of the bills proposed under the constitutional amendment process so that we can vote on it as soon as possible.
“The bill can then be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly as quickly as possible because, as you know, we will need two-thirds of the state assemblies to approve it before the President can assent to it.
“The President is also with us on this proposal. I am sure he cannot wait for the bill to come to him for assent. I am also sure that the majority of our governors support this bill. The state assemblies are equally awaiting the bill. We will initiate the proposal for the creation of state police within the week.”
Meanwhile, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, recently disclosed that President Tinubu would receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on the constitutional framework for its establishment near completion.
