Reps Approve State Police Bill, Senate Advances Debate

Abuja, Nigeria – The House of Representatives has approved the bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria, marking a significant step toward restructuring the nation’s security architecture.
The bill received overwhelming support during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, with 288 lawmakers voting in favour and four voting against it.
Speaker Abbas disclosed the outcome after members voted by a show of hands, explaining that the House’s electronic voting system was not operational.
The proposed legislation seeks to create an additional layer of policing at the state level while providing constitutional safeguards, clearly defined operational frameworks, oversight mechanisms, and a clear delineation of powers between federal and state policing authorities.
Prior to the vote, the House of Representatives released the final draft of the Constitution Alteration Bills, which provide the constitutional framework for the establishment of state police and other reforms.
In a statement issued by the House spokesperson, Akintunde Rotimi, the House noted that the bills are the outcome of months of extensive legislative work undertaken by the Committee on Constitution Review. The process involved the consideration of numerous constitutional amendment proposals submitted by lawmakers, government agencies, professional associations, civil society groups, traditional institutions, and members of the public.
According to the statement, the review process featured widespread stakeholder consultations, including zonal and national public hearings, expert sessions, consultative meetings, and town hall engagements across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to ensure broad citizen participation.
The development comes amid growing concerns over insecurity in several parts of the country and increasing calls for the decentralisation of policing.
Meanwhile, the Senate has also advanced the State Police Bill by passing it through second reading. The upper legislative chamber subsequently referred the proposal to its Committee on Constitutional Review for further consideration.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated during plenary that senators would vote on the bill at a subsequent sitting.
Supporters of state police argue that the current federal policing structure is overstretched and often unable to respond swiftly to security threats across the country. However, critics have raised concerns that granting states control over their police forces could lead to political abuse by powerful governors.
For the bill to become law, it must secure approval from the Senate and be endorsed by at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly before the proposed constitutional amendment can take effect.
By PressNGR News Desk.