By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
The Senate has scheduled amendments to the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police. Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said the bill will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly after passage.
In a statement by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Monday, Bamidele said all 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 will isolate the state police clause from the ongoing constitution amendment and pass it into law due to its national exigency. He said further delay is unnecessary.
He revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all state governors are aligned with the National Assembly on state police. “The president is also with us on this proposal,” he stated.
The legislative week beginning Tuesday will be crucial, Bamidele added, as state police will top the Senate’s agenda. “It is going to be the subject we will be dealing with this week,” he said.
Recall that Section 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution currently provides: “There shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force.” The amendment seeks to allow state-level policing.
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,” he added.
“We came to the conclusion that we are going to pass the constitutional amendment in this respect. If I can tell you as of today, that will come to fruition this very week,” Bamidele said.
He disclosed that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review Senator Barau I. Jibrin and House Committee Chairman Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu have held series of meetings in the last one week with the Attorney-General, Chief of Staff Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Inspector-General of Police Mr. Tunji Disu and other stakeholders.
Bamidele said the Senate resolved to isolate the state police bill from other amendment bills so it can be voted on as soon as possible. “We will initiate the proposal for the creation of state police within the week,” he noted.
The bill will be sent to the 36 State Houses of Assembly after Senate passage. Two-thirds of state assemblies must approve it before presidential assent. “The state assemblies are also waiting for this bill to come,” he said.
Gbajabiamila had disclosed that President Tinubu will receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on the constitutional framework for its establishment approach completion.
