The Yobe State House of Assembly has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of a State Police Service alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
The approval followed deliberations by lawmakers on 26 proposed constitutional amendment bills transmitted by the National Assembly to state legislatures for consideration and voting.
Speaking on the resolutions, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Chiroma Buba Mashio, said the bills were forwarded to state legislatures to enable them to consider and vote on the proposed amendments in line with constitutional requirements.
Mashio explained that the proposal for State Police was aimed at providing a constitutional framework for states to establish their own police services.
He said the proposal formed part of ongoing national discussions on security sector reform, particularly efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to address emerging security challenges.
The 26 proposed constitutional alteration bills seek amendments to various provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Under the constitutional amendment process, proposed alterations require the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly to meet the relevant legislative requirement.
The Yobe Assembly’s approval represents the state’s position on the proposal, while its implementation depends on the completion of the constitutionally prescribed amendment process.
