Ndume made the remarks during an interview on Arise News on Thursday, June 25, 2026, while reacting to the Senate's approval of a bill seeking to establish state police across the country.
The Senate, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, recently passed the bill as part of ongoing constitutional amendment efforts aimed at addressing Nigeria's security challenges through a more decentralized policing system.
Speaking during the interview, Ndume said he supports the creation of state police but believes lawmakers must carefully examine all aspects of the proposal before giving it final approval.
“I am not comfortable with the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, just bringing anything, and we are checking and rushing to pass it,” Ndume said.
The senator explained that his concerns are not about the concept of state police itself but about the need for proper scrutiny of the legislation and its potential implications.
According to him, several critical issues must be addressed before the new policing structure can function effectively. These include funding arrangements, operational guidelines, oversight mechanisms, recruitment standards, and accountability measures.
Ndume argued that creating state police without clearly defining how the agencies will be financed could create significant challenges for states that already struggle with limited financial resources.
“We must know how they will be funded, how they will operate, and what safeguards will be put in place to prevent abuse,” he said.
The lawmaker maintained that security reforms of such magnitude require thorough debate and broad consultation because of their potential impact on Nigeria's federal structure and democratic institutions.
According to him, state police could help improve security by bringing law enforcement closer to local communities and enabling faster responses to threats. However, he stressed that adequate legal and constitutional safeguards must be established to prevent misuse.
Ndume also raised concerns about accountability, noting that clear mechanisms would be needed to ensure that state police officers remain subject to the rule of law and professional standards.
The senator has consistently advocated decentralization of Nigeria's security architecture, previously calling not only for state police but also for local government policing structures to strengthen security at the grassroots level.
He argued that the country's current security challenges require innovative solutions and greater community involvement, but such reforms must be carefully designed to avoid unintended consequences.
According to Ndume, lawmakers have a responsibility to thoroughly examine every major policy proposal regardless of its source.
“We should not be in a situation where proposals are rushed through without asking important questions. These are matters that affect the future of the country,” he said.
He concluded by urging lawmakers to prioritize careful legislative scrutiny, emphasizing that security reforms should be guided by long-term national interest rather than urgency alone.
0 Comments