The leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said that the proposed state police structure must enjoy constitutionally guaranteed funding as a first-line charge.
This, according to a statement credited to him on Wednesday, will prevent abuse by political actors, business interests, criminal elements and other powerful groups.
Bamidele, who is also the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, made the clarification amid concerns raised by stakeholders over the ongoing efforts to amend the Constitution to allow the establishment of state police services.
Bamidele acknowledged that concerns expressed by Nigerians regarding state police were legitimate and deserved careful consideration.
According to him, many of the reservations stem from experiences during the First Republic when the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions empowered regional governments to establish police forces, a development that was often criticised for political interference.
He said the National Assembly was developing comprehensive safeguards to ensure that state police services operate independently, professionally and responsibly.
The lawmaker disclosed that one of the key safeguards being considered is the constitutional provision of dedicated funding for state police services as a first-line charge, similar to the funding arrangement for the judiciary.
He explained that such a mechanism would insulate state police authorities from undue political influence and ensure operational independence.
“The Commissioner of Police and the State Police Service Commission must have a guaranteed source of funds provided for in the Constitution so that they will not be subject to the whims and caprices of any state governor,” he said.
He warned that leaving the funding of state police entirely at the discretion of state governors could undermine their effectiveness, especially in situations where disagreements arise between governors and police authorities.
“If a state police service is not responding well to the directives of a governor, he may choose not to fund it. We must prevent such a situation. We are under obligation to provide for a certain percentage of a state’s budget specifically for the operations of state police services, with clear provisions on access to those funds,” he added.
The Senate Leader further assured Nigerians that all concerns raised by stakeholders would be addressed in the proposed legal framework, stressing that the National Assembly was committed to creating a state police system that would be accountable to the people and capable of effectively discharging its constitutional responsibilities.
He noted that adequate funding was crucial to the success of any policing arrangement, warning that poorly funded state police services would struggle to fulfil their mandates.
Bamidele explained that the ongoing constitutional amendment seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List, where it is currently under the exclusive control of the Federal Government, to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby empowering states to establish and operate their own police services.
He also cautioned against viewing the issue solely from the perspective of political abuse, arguing that inadequate funding could expose state police services to manipulation by other vested interests.
“People often talk only about political abuse, but the danger goes beyond that. Business interests, organisations, criminals and cabals can also compromise a state police service if it lacks financial independence,” he said.
According to him, a poorly funded state police structure would create vulnerabilities that could undermine public trust and weaken security operations.
“It is a question of who pays the piper dictates the tune. If a state police service is not well funded, it may become a highway to nowhere. That is one thing all of us must prevent,” Bamidele said.
He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to ensure that any state police framework emerging from the constitutional review process contains adequate safeguards to guarantee professionalism, accountability and operational independence.
