The House of Representatives successfully passed the second reading of a bill seeking the establishment of state police on Tuesday after a comprehensive debate, News About Nigeria reports.
Sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, and 14 others, the bill aims to amend the 1999 Constitution by transferring ‘Police’ from the ‘Exclusive Legislative List’ to the ‘Concurrent Legislative List’, thereby empowering states to have control over policing within their jurisdictions.
The bill, which proposes 16 amendments to the constitution, provides a framework for improved accountability, unity, and uniformity of practices between state and federal law enforcement.
In addition, it aims to create state police service commissioners with clearly defined responsibilities and jurisdictions, separate from the federal police service commission.
Muktar Shagaya (APC, Kwara) said that the bill responds to calls for a decentralised and community-focused approach to law enforcement, urging fellow lawmakers to support the bill.
Ahmed Jaha (APC, Borno) supported the bill, noting that the establishment of civilian armed groups had assisted the government in combating banditry in the north-east.
He argued that internal security is not the sole responsibility of the Nigerian Army and stressed the need for a reevaluation of the internal security architecture.
He said that reevaluating the internal security architecture is necessary and maintained that the Nigerian Army is not the only entity responsible for internal security.
The House Committee on Defence’s Chairman, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), echoed the call for the bill’s approval and suggested that it set requirements for states that want to create their own police forces.
He said that the federal government must approve the establishment of state police and has the power to revoke the licence if those requirements are not met.
Despite concerns expressed by some members, the bill successfully passed the voice vote during the plenary session.
Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu referred the bill to the Constitution Review Committee for further legislative action.
The bill will undergo additional legislative scrutiny and require presidential assent to become law.
President Bola Tinubu recently discussed the possibility of setting up state police during a meeting with state governors in Abuja.
