HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SET TO VOTE ON STATE POLICE BILL AMID GROWING SECURITY CONCERNS

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SET TO VOTE ON STATE POLICE BILL AMID GROWING SECURITY CONCERNS

The House of Representatives is expected to commence voting on a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, a move lawmakers describe as a major step toward addressing the country’s persistent security challenges.

Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed the development on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

The proposed legislation comes amid increasing concerns over insecurity, including incidents of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and other violent crimes affecting various parts of the country. Advocates of the bill argue that decentralizing policing powers could strengthen local security responses and improve intelligence gathering.

The bill, sponsored by Kalu alongside 14 other lawmakers, passed its second reading on February 20, 2024. It seeks to transfer policing responsibilities from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby allowing individual states to establish and manage their own police services.

To facilitate this change, the proposal includes amendments to Sections 197, 214, and 215 of the 1999 Constitution, among other provisions.

Speaking on the importance of the amendment, Kalu emphasized that ensuring the security of lives and property is a responsibility shared by all arms of government and not solely the executive branch.

He stated that the legislature must utilize its constitutional powers and lawmaking authority to provide solutions to the country's security challenges, adding that lawmakers have identified policing reforms as a critical component of broader security sector improvements.

According to the Deputy Speaker, the existing centralized policing structure has faced increasing pressure due to the complexity and scale of security threats confronting the nation.

He noted that the House has prioritized legislative measures aimed at strengthening security architecture and improving the effectiveness of law enforcement across the federation.

Kalu also expressed confidence that the proposed state police framework enjoys broad support from major stakeholders, including state governors, the Presidency, and key security institutions.

He dismissed reports suggesting that efforts were underway to block the proposal, assuring Nigerians that lawmakers remain committed to advancing the amendment process.

According to him, once the National Assembly concludes its consideration of the bill, it will be transmitted to state Houses of Assembly for further approval, as required by constitutional amendment procedures.

Under Nigeria’s constitutional process, any amendment must secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of state legislatures—equivalent to 24 states—before being forwarded to the President for assent.

The debate over state police has remained one of the most significant constitutional reform discussions since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

Supporters believe that state-controlled police formations would enhance community policing, improve intelligence gathering, and enable faster responses to local security threats. They argue that officers familiar with local languages, cultures, and terrain could better address crimes within their jurisdictions.

However, critics have raised concerns that state police could be vulnerable to political interference, particularly in states where democratic institutions remain weak. Some stakeholders fear that governors could potentially use state-controlled police forces against political opponents or dissenting voices.

Despite these concerns, support for the proposal has continued to grow as security challenges persist across the country.

If approved by both the National Assembly and the required number of state legislatures, the state police amendment would mark one of the most significant reforms to Nigeria’s security and governance structure in more than two decades.