The House of Representatives has passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish State Police Services, marking a significant step toward decentralising policing and strengthening security across Nigeria.
The bill was approved after lawmakers considered and voted on its provisions during the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen.
Despite a rowdy session, the Speaker announced that 311 members voted in support of the legislation, securing the required majority for its passage.
Leading the debate, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu said the executive-sponsored bill is designed to deepen Nigeria’s federal structure by decentralising policing responsibilities and giving state governments a greater role in safeguarding lives and property.
According to Kalu, the proposed constitutional amendment aims to improve public safety by enhancing security operations at the sub-national level and enabling states to respond more effectively to local security challenges.
The passage of the bill represents a major milestone in the ongoing constitutional amendment process and reflects renewed legislative efforts to address the country’s growing security concerns through policing reforms.
The proposed legislation will now proceed to the next stage of the constitutional amendment process, which includes concurrence by the Senate and approval by at least two-thirds of the country’s State Houses of Assembly before it can become law.
