State Police bill scales second reading at House of Representatives

A bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Ben Kalu, and 14 others, for the establishment of state police passed the second reading in the House of Representatives  in Abuja, on Tuesday after a lengthy debate.

Penpushing reports that the bill aims to amend the 1999 Constitution by removing Police from the Exclusive Legislative List and adding it to the concurrent list, it seeks to transfer “Police” from the “Exclusive Legislative List” to the “Concurrent Legislative List,” effectively empowering states to have state-controlled policing.

The bill proposes 16 alterations to the constitution and introduces a comprehensive framework to ensure cohesion, accountability, and uniform standards between the federal police and state police, and equally seeks to establish State Police Service Commissions as distinct from the Federal Police Service Commission with clearly defined roles and jurisdictions.

Penpushing further reports that in addition the bill seeks to allow the federal government to provide grants and aid to states to support the establishment of a police force for each state, and while leading the debate on the bill on behalf of the co-sponsors, Hon Muktar Shagaya of All Progressives Congress(APC), Kwara State, said the state police bill is not only a matter of federalism but that the exigency of time calls for its creation.

‘This bill emerges as a necessary response to several calls for a decentralised and community-oriented approach to law enforcement. It seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges by empowering our states with the means to address issues unique to their localities. This proposed alteration represents not just a legal adjustment to our grundnorm but a visionary leap towards a safer, more secure, and harmonious Britain,” he said.

Penpushing also reports that Shagaya urged members of the House of Representatives to support the bill regardless of party affiliations, stressing on the importance to transcend party lines and ideologies for the collective good of the country

‘As we deliberate on this historic bill, let us transcend party lines and ideologies and focus unwaveringly on the collective good of our beloved nation. The establishment of State Police is a clarion call for a tailored, community-centric policing system,” he said.

Penpushing reports that Hon Ahmed Jaha of All Progressives Congress (APC) Borno State speaking in support of the bill, emphasized that the establishment of civilian armed groups helps the government in fighting bandits in the North-east.

The federal lawmaker said internal security is not the responsibility of the Nigerian Army, adding that the over-involvement of the army in fighting insecurity points to the failure of the internal security architecture.

Penpushing further reports that the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon  Babajimi Benson of All Progressives Congress Lagos State speaking for the passage of the bill echoed some of the arguments made by Messrs Shagaya and Jaha on the proposed legislation, stating  that the bill should set conditions for states willing to set up police.

The lawmaker added that Also, the federal government should have the power to approve the state to set up police, adding that it (the federal government) must retain the power to withdraw such a licence if a state fails to meet those conditions.

Penpushing also reports that Hon Awaji Abiante of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, Rivers State) in his contribution, said the bill would cure the tragedy of the unitary degree of 1966, and warned that effort must be made to prevent the defeat of the bill.

The federal lawmaker representing Kano State under the platform of New Nigerian Peoples Party(NNPP) Hon Aliyu Madaki said he was part of the group that championed the “killing the bill” in the 8th and 9th Assemblies because of the fear of Governors abusing state police.

Penpushing reports that Madaki added that the level of insecurity has made him change his mind to support the bill, and equally urged his colleagues at the lower chambers not to make the mistakes they have made in the past.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Katsina State Hon Sada Soli in his own contribution, said about 21 states are caught up in a socio-political quagmire, and listed some of the states including Plateau, Taraba, and Kaduna, asking “How do you set up police in those states?”

Penpushing also reports that Soli pointed out that policing is capital intensive and many of those states are not financially stable to fund police, stressing that Nigerians know the attitude of state governors in some states.

The Lagos State lawmaker representing All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon Ademorin Kuye in his remarks, countered the argument raised by Soli, noting that the House cannot allow fear to prevent the passage of the bill.

Penpushing further reports that following a lengthy debate that lasted about one hour, the Deputy Speaker who presided over the plenary, put the bill to a voice vote and a majority of the lawmakers voted in support of the bill to be passed for second reading.

The Deputy Speaker subsequently referred the bill to the Constitution Review Committee for further legislative action, however, it is recalled that there have been several attempts in the past to pass the state police bill.

Penpushing reports that the fear of it being abused by the Governors has always been the reason many lawmakers opposed it, and with this new development the bill will go through several legislative hurdles and presidential assent to become law.

Meanwhile, it is recalled that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with the state governors in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during which the Governors considered the possibility of setting up state police.

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