POLICE BILL: Reps Pass Executive Bill to Establish State Police

By Our Correspondent

The House of Representatives has passed the Executive Bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria after 311 lawmakers voted in support of the proposal during plenary.

The bill, transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, was considered after the House withdrew its earlier version of the state police proposal to pave the way for the executive-backed legislation.
Following the withdrawal, the House subjected the bill to first and second readings before approving it during the Committee of the Whole.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, the Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy Speaker, Dr. Benjamin Kalu, explained that the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Constitution to provide for the establishment of state police services. He said the move is aimed at strengthening internal security and decentralising policing across the federation.