Senate Approves State Police Amendment, Moves to House of Reps

The Senate has approved constitutional changes to establish state police with clear safeguards to prevent governors from deploying forces for partisan or personal ends. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele led a clause-by-clause debate and secured a two-thirds majority through a manual vote. Next steps include passage in the House of Representatives, presidential assent and ratification by a majority of state assemblies. Under the bill, federal police will retain duties like counter-terrorism, organised crime and border security, while state forces handle local law enforcement and crime prevention. Federal intervention will occur only during major public order breakdowns or threats to national security, and then only with written presidential authorisation, Senate oversight and judicial review. Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Aminu Tambuwal and Tahir Monguno backed the proposal, citing urgent security needs.

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