By Isaac Olufemi Ojo
The House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed a landmark constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across the country, marking a major turning point in the decades-long agitation for the decentralisation of the nation’s security architecture.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police,” scaled the hurdle during the Committee of the Whole, which was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
The legislative milestone followed the presentation of the report on the proposal by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Hon. Benjamin Kalu. In his presentation, Kalu emphasised that the creation of state-controlled security outfits has become an inescapable necessity in the ongoing battle against the rising tide of insecurity plaguing the country.
The floor of the House witnessed an overwhelming display of bipartisan support as lawmakers voted manually by a show of hands. At the conclusion of the exercise, 289 members voted in favour of the bill, while one member abstained. Notably, no lawmaker voted against the motion.
Under the provisions of the proposed amendment, Nigeria’s policing architecture is set for a fundamental restructuring. The new framework envisages the existence of both Federal and State Police formations, allowing states to take charge of their internal security dynamics.
To ensure a seamless transition and prevent a vacuum in law enforcement, the bill stipulates that the Nigeria Police Force shall continue to exercise its statutory powers and responsibilities within a state until such a time that the state’s own police force becomes fully operational.
