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…says security must override political interests
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, insisting that the legislation was driven by national security concerns rather than political considerations.
It added that the proposed creation of state police was “a child of necessity and not of political expediency,” stressing that the bill emerged from extensive nationwide consultations and broad consensus among critical stakeholders.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, stated this in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday, amid criticisms trailing the National Assembly’s approval of the constitutional amendment.
According to him, the proposal to establish state police addresses an urgent national security challenge that should not be undermined by political interests or the ambitions of any individual.
Bamidele said observations showed that the majority of Nigerians welcomed the passage of the bill, believing it would significantly improve security at the subnational level.
He explained that the proposal did not originate recently but formed part of memoranda submitted to the Senate Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, adding that, given its sensitive nature, the proposal underwent rigorous scrutiny and extensive consultations across the country.
The Senate Leader said the National Assembly engaged the Executive, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, the leadership of the Nigeria Police and other relevant stakeholders during the process.
According to him, the National Assembly also conducted public hearings across the six geopolitical zones in July 2025, where participants overwhelmingly supported the establishment of state police.
“At each level of our consultation, nearly all stakeholders embraced the State Police Bill in the light of the stark realities we are facing today,” he said.
Bamidele noted that the Nigeria Police contributed significantly to the drafting of the legislation by recommending accountability and oversight mechanisms aimed at preventing the abuse of state police by political actors.
He added that the police’s support for the bill underscored its national importance in tackling insecurity at the state and local government levels.
The Senate Leader further said the bill was subjected to robust debates in both chambers of the National Assembly before its passage.
According to him, lawmakers across party lines supported the legislation in the national interest.
“Even though the APC is the majority, there are members of opposition parties, PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party, that exercised their discretion in favour of the Bill, mainly in the national interest and not on parochial basis.
“In the Senate, for instance, 84 out of 109 members voted clause by clause in support of the Bill. This accounted for 77.06 per cent approval at the Senate alone,” he said.
Bamidele argued that security should not be viewed through partisan or ethnic lenses, describing it as a collective public good that benefits all citizens.
He urged opposition parties to contribute constructive ideas that would strengthen peace and stability across the country, saying they had an obligation to offer credible alternatives that would advance national development rather than engage in political criticism alone.
