Reps move forward with state police bill

The House of Representatives has taken a big step by passing a bill for the establishment of state police. This happened during a voice vote on Thursday's plenary session.

The bill, known as HB 617, is part of the ongoing changes to Nigeria’s Constitution. These changes aim to restructure the country’s security system in response to increasing insecurity, which includes terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.

The session, led by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, had over 290 lawmakers in attendance. House Leader Julius Ihonvbere from Edo State moved a motion to suspend the House's rules. This was to allow discussion on changing an earlier decision about the reports from the Committee on Constitution Review.

The motion was seconded by Minority Leader Fred Agbedi from Bayelsa State and was adopted without issues. The House then shifted focus to the security reform discussion.

Mr Tajudeen emphasized that the House would focus on security amendments first, calling it urgent. He mentioned the need to avoid delays as members would go on a two-week break at the end of the year. This break would give them time to review other bills when they return.

During the session, the speaker announced that the electronic voting system was down. This led lawmakers to vote manually by voice. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the Constitution Review Committee, presented the bill. He said the bill is a response to Nigeria’s worsening security issues.

Kalu explained that the proposed changes aim to decentralise policing. This would help states set up their own police forces, improving the response time to security incidents. He pointed out that a centralised policing system, with command in Abuja, has delayed responses to emergencies. State police would allow officers who know the local language and areas to react better to threats.

He called on lawmakers to see this bill as a legacy reform that would strengthen national security beyond just military actions. He stressed that this change reflects a wide national agreement.

The speaker then decided that the House would not go through the bill clause by clause. Instead, they would consider it by its long title. After reading the title, a manual count was done.

At the end of the voting, 289 members were in support while four voted against, moving the proposal forward for further legislative steps in the constitutional amendment process.

After the voting, the House passed the bill, marking a significant move in the constitutional amendment process regarding state policing. It then adjourned until July 7 to allow members to take their end-of-year break and return to their constituencies.

According to Mr Tajudeen, this break also gives lawmakers time to review the constitution amendment bills set for discussion when they return.

With the House’s approval in hand, the bill will now go to the Senate for agreement. If the Senate approves it, it will then go to the 36 state Houses of Assembly. There, it needs the backing of at least two-thirds of the states.

Once the states approve it, the amendment will be sent to the president for assent before it becomes law.