State Police Bill reflects national consensus, not political expediency — Senate

The Senate has defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, describing it as a product of national consensus rather than political cynicism.

The upper chamber said the legislative initiative was born out of necessity and not political expediency, stressing that the proposal was driven by the country’s worsening security situation.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), said the creation of state police was a matter of urgent national importance that could not be delayed because of political considerations or individual ambitions. Politics

According to the statement, released through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the process of incorporating state police into Nigeria’s governance structure did not begin recently but had evolved through extensive consultations and constitutional review.

Bamidele noted that despite some dissenting opinions, the proposal had received broad public support, with many Nigerians convinced that state police would significantly improve security at the sub-national level.

He explained that the proposal formed part of memoranda submitted to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and was subjected to rigorous scrutiny and multi-level consultations because of its sensitive nature.

According to him, the National Assembly consulted widely with key stakeholders, including the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.

He further disclosed that the National Assembly conducted public hearings across the six geopolitical zones in July 2025, where participants overwhelmingly endorsed the proposal.

“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.