The proposed creation of state police, the deadly Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State and the rescheduling of the National Security Summit are expected to dominate proceedings as the Senate resumes plenary on Tuesday, amid increasing security challenges nationwide.
Lawmakers are also expected to revisit ongoing electoral reforms and deliberate on insecurity and other critical national matters as concerns over the country’s security situation continue to grow.
The Senate had postponed its two-day National Security Summit, initially scheduled for October 12 and 13, following the death of 25 officers and seven crew members in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the postponement in a statement released in Abuja.
He explained that the decision was made in honour of the victims and in observance of the three-day national mourning declared by President Bola Tinubu.
The summit was planned to bring together major stakeholders to assess Nigeria’s persistent security problems and propose practical solutions to improve the protection of lives and property.
The ad hoc committee had concluded preparations for the event following the completion of zonal public hearings held ahead of the national gathering.
However, the crash involving a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday led to the suspension of the planned summit.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 25 officers and seven crew members, triggering widespread mourning and renewed demands for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
President Tinubu subsequently declared three days of national mourning for the deceased and ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast nationwide. He also directed a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, told newsmen that lawmakers would concentrate on major national concerns, including insecurity and broader economic challenges.
Adaramodu identified the constitutional amendment process, particularly the proposed establishment of state police, as one of the Senate’s key priorities.
He said, “Our priorities on resumption is about revisiting the constitutional amendments which we have put together. I am sure you are aware that we have sent the State Police bill to the State House of Assembly and we are expecting its return. So, we are going to expand on that and look into it”
On September 16, the National Assembly transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to establish State Police Services, to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration.
The proposed amendment forms part of the ongoing constitutional review process intended to establish a legal framework for state police, an initiative that has gained increased attention amid persistent security threats across the country.
Consideration of the bill by the state assemblies represents a crucial stage in the amendment process, as constitutional changes require approval from at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before presidential assent.
The Senate’s return to plenary is therefore expected to offer lawmakers an opportunity to assess developments in the constitutional amendment process, make arrangements for the rescheduled National Security Summit and address other pending legislative matters.
