Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Sunday, disclosed that the National Assembly had commenced work on a decentralised policing system designed to entrench accountability and prevent its abuse by the political class.
Bamidele, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the parliament was committed to developing a framework for state police that would serve the interests of all Nigerians, regardless of status.
He stated this in a statement he personally issued on Sunday by his Media Office, to mark the 74th birthday anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also commending various initiatives introduced by the administration to stabilise the country and address its security challenges.
Bamidele noted that the president had demonstrated strong synergy with the National Assembly in tackling insecurity, adding that the administration was adopting innovative strategies beyond conventional approaches to address extremism, terrorism and violent crimes.
According to him, Tinubu had consistently supported the creation of a decentralised police structure as part of broader efforts to safeguard lives, private property and critical national assets across the federation.
He explained that the essence of the proposed model was to devolve policing powers to sub-national authorities to ensure effective governance, particularly in remote communities.
“This is one requests that the National Assembly has been treating with priority,” he said.
The senate leader further stated that the proposed framework would incorporate strict accountability mechanisms to prevent abuse of power by political actors, reinforce the administration of justice, discourage impunity and establish safeguards for the protection of fundamental human rights.
“All these initiatives were at the core of shared conviction, which the Presidency and National Assembly have been working on to secure Nigeria better,” he said, assuring Nigerians that the framework would align with global best practices.
Bamidele also used the occasion to reflect on Tinubu’s leadership at 74, describing him as a statesman whose lifelong commitment to national development had continued to shape Nigeria’s trajectory.
He said the president had demonstrated unwavering dedication, patriotism and resilience in steering the country through challenging times, noting that his reforms, though initially difficult, were already yielding positive outcomes.
Describing Tinubu as “a man of history, purpose and vision,” Bamidele said the president had consistently shown the capacity to rise above challenges in pursuit of national progress.
Sunday Aborisade
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