The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to pass a bill proposing the creation of state police in Nigeria. 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, and for related matters (Sixth Alteration) 2026,' is part of ongoing constitutional amendment efforts.
Push for Decentralized Policing
The proposal aims to introduce state and community policing structures, responding to concerns that the current centralized system has failed to curb insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping. Supporters argue that decentralized policing would improve security responses and allow states to tackle local threats effectively. Critics, however, warn of potential abuse by state governments.
Legislative Process
The bill was jointly sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) and 14 other members. Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, stated that the chamber prioritized the state police proposal over other constitutional amendment bills due to rising terrorism and violent crimes. President Bola Tinubu expressed support for the creation of state police in December, describing it as a step to enhance national security.
During the session, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen noted that the House considered only the security-related constitutional amendment bill due to its urgency. The electronic voting system malfunctioned, so a manual voice vote was conducted. After a manual count, 289 members voted in favor, 4 against, and 1 abstained.
The bill now moves to the Senate for concurrence before being sent to state assemblies and ultimately to the president for assent.
