The House of Representatives has announced plans to pass the State Police Bill on Thursday as part of efforts to address rising insecurity across Nigeria.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing parliamentary reporters in Abuja on behalf of the 37 caucus leaders in the Green Chamber.
Kalu said the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police had become necessary due to increasing cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes across the country.
He said the National Assembly has a constitutional responsibility not only to oversee security agencies but also to strengthen the country’s security framework through legislation.
“When we say that the security of lives and property is the primary purpose of government, the legislature must also play its part. Beyond summoning service chiefs and relevant agencies, there is a need for us to deploy legislative tools to bridge the gaps in the nation’s security framework,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker noted that extensive consultations had been carried out on the bill, adding that the Inspector-General of Police, the executive arm of government, and all 36 state governors had expressed support for the idea of state policing.
He explained that the current constitutional structure, particularly Section 214, limits the ability to effectively decentralise policing and respond quickly to security challenges.
“We have discovered that leaving the law as it is will not give us the expected results Nigerians desire. Therefore, we have prioritised constitutional amendments aimed at unbundling security-related challenges through legislation targeting state policing,” he said.
Kalu assured Nigerians that the House was united in its resolve to ensure the passage of the bill, dismissing reports suggesting internal opposition.
“We are here to announce to Nigerians that hope is coming. Hope for better response time to incidents of crime is here. By tomorrow, we will be voting on the constitutional amendment and we are prioritising state police,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that state assemblies would also support the amendment once transmitted, citing what he described as positive disposition from governors across the country.
“We are hopeful that after the exercise tomorrow, the amendment will be transmitted to the states, and judging by the body language of the 36 governors who support state police, they will work with their Houses of Assembly to ensure quick ratification before it is transmitted to Mr. President for assent,” he added.
The Deputy Speaker also urged lawmakers currently on oversight functions to return to Abuja for Thursday’s plenary, describing the bill as a national priority requiring full participation.
The proposed amendment seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, allowing states to establish and manage their own police forces alongside the federal police system.
