Senate Leader,Senator Opeyemi Bamidele has assured Nigerians that the proposed state police framework will incorporate robust constitutional and legal safeguards to prevent abuse by the sub-nationals.
Speaking to State House Correspondents on Wednesday, Bamidele acknowledged public concerns over the possible misuse of state police but said the ongoing constitutional amendment process is being carefully structured to minimise such risks through clearly defined checks and accountability mechanisms.
He explained that while no legal framework can eliminate every possibility of abuse, the proposed legislation contains provisions designed to protect the integrity of the system and ensure responsible implementation.
“Well, there will always be fears. There will also be concerns, but whether those concerns are well-founded is another matter altogether. We are not unmindful of these concerns. In most cases, they are legitimate. Let me put it this way: even with the Nigeria Police Force, where the governor is recognised as the chief security officer of the state, there is still the possibility of a governor attempting to use the police for personal or political purposes, depending on how much the system allows itself to be manipulated. Most importantly…”
“We are putting mechanisms in the law as we are amending the constitution that would prevent or minimise instances of abuse by state governors, and as much as possible, I believe that it’s not everything that can go into the constitution, but what’s important at this point is that all the governors, or most of the governors, are on the same page with us, and that will be demonstrated by the speed with which the bill will receive concurrence in their state houses of assembly by the time we eventually transmit it, but it’s important that we all know that state police is a child of necessity.”
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The Senate Leader noted that the constitutional amendment would be complemented by subsequent amendments to the Police Act to provide additional operational guidelines and accountability measures that could not be accommodated in the constitution.
Bamidele also disclosed that most state governors have expressed support for the establishment of state police and are expected to give speedy concurrence to the constitutional amendment when it is transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly.
“It’s no longer about political interests or politics; all of us are on the same page, that there’s a need for this, and in the amendment to the police act that will follow, we spell out more details, you know, details that cannot possibly go into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” He added
He described state police as a national imperative driven by the country’s evolving security challenges, stressing that the initiative transcends partisan politics and reflects a broad national consensus on the need to strengthen internal security across the federation.
