The Senate has stated that it will complete the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow the creation of state police before the end of 2026.
The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, told Sunday PUNCH on Friday that the upper chamber would immediately resume work on the constitutional review once plenary reconvenes next week.
This follows President Bola Tinubu’s request to the National Assembly to begin the process of amending the constitution to incorporate state police as part of efforts to tackle the nation’s insecurity challenges.
Speaking to members of the Senate on Wednesday night during an interfaith breaking of fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President said, “What I am asking for tonight is for you to start thinking how best to amend the constitution to incorporate the state police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, free our children from fear.”
Tinubu, while addressing members of the House of Representatives on Friday, urged them to ensure that the proposed constitutional amendment for the creation of the state police includes safeguards against potential abuse by governors.
He stressed that the establishment of state police should not be “a straight free fall for everybody,” but must be structured with checks and balances drawn from past experiences.
Pledging the Senate’s readiness to fast-track the amendment of the constitution to accommodate state police, Adaramodu noted that significant groundwork had already been done on the proposal before legislative focus shifted to the electoral amendment.
