Senate Moves to Block Governors From Using State Police for Political Intimidation

The National Assembly says it is putting in place constitutional and legal safeguards to prevent governors from turning proposed state police outfits into instruments of political intimidation as efforts to establish decentralised policing gather momentum.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed this on Wednesday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, describing state police as "a child of necessity" amid Nigeria's worsening security challenges.

He acknowledged widespread concerns that governors could deploy state-controlled police against political opponents, journalists, protesters and other perceived critics, but assured Nigerians that lawmakers are addressing those fears through the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

"There will always be fears and concerns, but whether those concerns are well-founded is another issue altogether, and we are not unmindful of them," Bamidele said.

According to him, while governors already wield considerable influence over the operations of the federal police within their states, the proposed legal framework for state police will contain mechanisms designed to minimise abuse.

Bamidele explained that while broad safeguards would be embedded in the Constitution, more detailed operational guidelines would be provided through amendments to the Police Act.

He said the Police Act would spell out accountability measures and operational procedures that could not be accommodated within the Constitution itself.

The Senate Leader maintained that the proposed reforms are intended to strike a balance between improving internal security and preventing political interference in policing.

Bamidele also said support for state police now cuts across political lines, noting that most governors have aligned with the National Assembly on the proposed reform.

He expressed confidence that once the constitutional amendment bill is transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, it would receive swift approval.

"State police is a child of necessity," he said, adding that the country's security realities have made the reform increasingly urgent.