State Police Bill Nears Senate Vote as Constitution Review Gains Momentum

The Senate is scheduled to receive and consider a Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of State Policing and related matters.

The move follows a letter from President Bola Tinubu to the Senate, urging lawmakers to expedite the constitutional amendment process to facilitate a multi-layer policing structure extending to the local government level as part of efforts to address the worsening insecurity across the country.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who read the letter during plenary, appealed to his colleagues to set aside all other considerations and attend the scheduled sitting to participate in the voting exercise.
Senator Akpabio also commended the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, for successfully conducting public hearings across the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as other legislative activities already undertaken.
He directed the committee to submit its report on the review of the 1999 Constitution at plenary tomorrow to enable deliberation and voting on the proposed alterations and amendments.
The Senate President assured Nigerians that adequate safeguards have been incorporated into the State Police Bill to address concerns over possible abuse or manipulation of state and community policing structures by state governments or local government councils.