The Nigerian Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday for an emergency plenary session to deliberate on the proposed State Police Bill, a major constitutional reform widely seen as critical to addressing the country’s worsening security crisis.
The emergency sitting, scheduled to hold by 11:00 a.m. at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, comes at a time when insecurity continues to escalate across different parts of the country.
Terrorist attacks, banditry, kidnappings, communal violence, and other criminal activities have continued to raise concerns among citizens and security stakeholders.
POLITICS NIGERIA understands that the State Police Bill will be one of the major items for consideration as lawmakers return briefly from recess.
Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed that the bill remains a top legislative priority due to its importance to national security.
“The Senate will be considering matters of public interest, especially national security. The State Police legislation will undoubtedly be a priority issue,” Adaramodu said.
According to him, lawmakers are expected to review reports from the committee currently handling the bill as part of efforts to move the proposal forward.
“The Senate is desirous of partnering with other arms of government in curbing the undesirable activities of bandits, terrorists and other peace-threatening marauders,” he added.
The emergency session follows concerns over delays in the constitutional amendment process after the Senate went on a three-week recess without concluding work on the bill.
The proposed legislation seeks to transfer policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List. If approved, this would allow state governments to establish and operate their own police formations alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
Supporters of the bill believe decentralising policing will significantly improve local security operations and strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots level.
However, because the proposal requires amendments to the 1999 Constitution, it must secure support from at least two-thirds of Senate members before moving to the next legislative stage.
If successfully passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, a conference committee from both chambers will harmonise the bill before transmitting it to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for final approval.
The recall notice for senators was contained in a June 15 memo issued by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, following directives from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The notice made clear that the session was called to address urgent national concerns, particularly issues surrounding security.
“The purpose of this emergency sitting is to enable the Senate to consider matters of urgent national importance, particularly issues relating to national security and other critical concerns that require immediate legislative attention,” the notice read.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Senate had earlier passed the State Police Bill for second reading on June 11 before referring it to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further work.
Leading debate during the second reading, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele argued that state police has become increasingly necessary due to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
He maintained that officers recruited and stationed within their local environments would better understand the language, culture, and unique security realities of their communities, thereby improving operational efficiency.
Bamidele identified terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, armed robbery, cultism, communal conflicts, pipeline vandalism, and cybercrime as major threats driving the push for decentralised policing.
He also addressed concerns about possible abuse of state police by governors for political purposes.
According to him, the bill includes multiple safeguards to prevent misuse and ensure accountability.
Some of these measures include the creation of State Police Service Commissions, oversight by the Federal Police Service Commission, legislative confirmation for top appointments, national policing standards, and constitutional intervention mechanisms in cases of breakdown of law and order.
Several lawmakers across party lines, including senators from Northern Nigeria, have openly backed the proposal, insisting that the current centralised policing structure is no longer sufficient to tackle security threats effectively.
Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno also noted that the legislation could help provide proper legal regulation for vigilante groups currently operating in several communities across the country.
