State police bill work to continue during Senate recess

Nigeria's Senate has reassured the public that the crucial State Police Bill will be harmonized and advanced during the ongoing National Assembly recess. Senate Committee on Media and Publicity Chairman Yemi Adaramodu stated that legislative committees are fully operational and determined to expedite the constitutional amendment, despite the suspension of plenary sessions until September 14.

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Our holiday does not stop harmonisation since we have committees. The National Assembly will resume on September 14 if we have anything to do. So, the recess doesn’t stop the committees of the two chambers from meeting.

Adaramodu explained that the recess provides an opportunity for lawmakers to attend to legislative duties and oversight within their committees. He emphasized that committee work, including the harmonization of the State Police Bill between the Senate and the House of Representatives, will continue uninterrupted. The responsibility for this harmonization falls to the Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.

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If we have emergency committee matters to handle, we still do that. But we don’t go to plenary.

The bill is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most significant security reforms. Its momentum has grown following passage by both legislative chambers and widespread support from governors, state legislatures, and other stakeholders. Adaramodu expressed confidence that the harmonization would conclude before the lawmakers' return, noting the bill's isolation from other constitutional amendment proposals due to its urgency and overwhelming public demand.

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It’s the constitutional review committee since it’s a constitutional matter. We have a constitutional review committee, which is headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.

"The state police matter is not even the only one that we are dealing with. But this one is an emergency because it is a popular demand by Nigerians," Adaramodu said. He added that the bill has become a national debate, necessitating expeditious attention. He suggested that handling the State Police Bill separately from other potential amendments would prevent lengthy debates and delays.

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Oh, yes! That one is sure. You know that initially I said that in the life of this 10th Assembly, we are going to make sure all these constitutional amendments are passed for them to come to bear.