By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday passed the bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria, marking a major shift in the country’s security architecture.
The upper chamber approved the legislation after considering the report of its Committee on the Review of the Constitution, presented by the committee chairman, Barau Jibrin.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage after more than two-thirds of senators voted in support through a manual voting process by raising their hands.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele led the debate on the general principles of the bill before lawmakers proceeded to consider its various clauses clause by clause.
The legislation seeks to create a state policing structure that will operate concurrently with the existing federal police system, introducing a dual policing model.
Clause 17 of the bill addresses appointment, command, direction, and tenure. It provides that while the Inspector-General of Police will head the Federal Police Service, each State Police Service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police.
The state Commissioner of Police will be appointed by the governor of the state, subject to confirmation by the state’s House of Assembly, giving state legislatures an oversight role.
Section 17(6) empowers a state governor to issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to the state Commissioner of Police on matters relating to maintenance of public safety and public order.
Section 17(7) contains safeguards against abuse, stating that a state Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate, or deploy force against any person, political party, or group for criticizing the government, except in accordance with the law.
The provision is designed to prevent misuse of state police against political opponents or critics, ensuring any action complies with due process and existing laws as Nigeria moves toward decentralized policing.
