LEGISLATION PROPOSAL FOR THE CREATION OF STATE POLICE APPROVED IN SECOND READING BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House of Representatives has approved a proposal for the establishment of state police, advancing to the second stage of consideration.
The legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police and for Related Matters (HB.617),” was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, along with 14 others.
After a thorough debate, the bill passed the second reading during the Plenary on Tuesday.
During the lead debate, Rep. Tolani Shagaya, one of the co-sponsors, explained that the bill was introduced in response to numerous calls for a decentralized and community-oriented approach to law enforcement.
He stated, “It seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges by empowering our states with the means to address issues unique to their localities. This proposed alteration represents not just a legal adjustment to our grundorm, but a visionary leap towards a safer, more secure, and harmonious Nigeria.
“In recent times, our collective security has been greatly challenged. Nigeria, a federation of 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, with 774 LGAs, over 250 ethnic nationalities, more than 200 million citizens and a vast terrain spanning over 920,000 square kilometres, still sadly operates a single centralised police system that employs less than 400,000 police officers and men. There is no gainsaying that the nation’s security architecture is under immense pressure and always overwhelmed.”
He highlighted that the bill comprises 18 clauses that aim to alter various sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Altered).
Among the proposed alterations are the transfer of “Police” from the “Exclusive Legislative List” to the “Concurrent Legislative List,” providing States with the authority to have state-controlled policing. The bill also introduces a comprehensive framework to ensure cohesion, accountability, and uniform standards between the Federal Police and State Police.
Other provisions include prescribed rigorous safeguards to prevent unwarranted interference by the Federal Police in State Police affairs, emphasizing collaboration and intervention only under well-defined circumstances.
Balarabe Alkassim From the News Source: DailyTrust
