By Mercy Aikoye
A bill seeking to establish State Police in Nigeria has passed second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, and 14 others, proposes to transfer the term “police” in the 1999 constitution from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list.
The bill which comes in the wake of rising insecurity in the country, comprises 18 clauses, and seeks to amend sections 34, 35, 39, 42, 84, 89, 129 153, 197, 214, 215 and 216 of the Constitution.
While leading the debate on the bill, Muktar Shagaya from Kwara State said the proposed legislation “seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges” by empowering states with the means to “address issues unique to their localities”.
“This proposed alteration represents not just a legal adjustment to our grundorm, but avisionary leap towards a safer, more secure, and harmonious Nigeria”.
Supporting the bill, Ahmed Jaha from Borno, said it is not the responsibility of the police to provide internal security and not the Nigerian army. He asked his colleagues to put “sentiment aside” and support the bill.
Babajimi Benson from Lagos said the police should be licensed the way universities are licensed.
“We should find a way of licensing the police so that any state that believe they have the funding and meet the conditions of the license they can be obliged,” he said.
Aliyu Madaki from Kano said though he opposed the bill in previous assembly, it is now important to have state police.
“Our reasoning then was that state governors will abuse the state police. As we speak today Nigeria is on fire,” he said.
The lawmaker said state police will enable each state to be in a position to take charge of their security.
While speaking a against the bill, Sada Soli from Katsina said some of the state are not viable financially to have state police.
He said while the bill noble, it can be an instrument of persecuting the opposition.
Following the extended debate, Kalu put the bill to a voice vote and the majority of the lawmakers approved it.
This is not the first the bill is being considered by the lawmakers. Attempts to pass the bill in the eight and ninth assemblies failed.
Since it is a constitutional amendment bill, the bill has to get the support of majority of State Houses of Assembly.
