Bill To Amend Constitution, Establish State Police Passes 2nd Reading

The House of Representatives has passed for a second reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to allow for establishment of state police.

The bill, sponsored by the deputy speaker and 14 other members, was passed by the House and referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review amid fear by some members that state governors may use them as a weapon of coercion and victimization.

Leading a debate on the bill, a member from Kwara State, Tolani Shagaya said the bill on state police will bring back the essence of true federalism and put the states in a vantage position to address issues of insecurity in the country.

According to him, state police will be better placed and prepared to handle issues of insecurity in the various communities across the country and fight crime accordingly.

He said that at the moment, state police existed in parts of the country in one way or the other such as Amotekun and Neighborhood Watch, adding that what the bill seeks to do is to give them legal backing and allow them to operate in line with the law.

Supporting the second reading of the bill, member from Borno State, Ahmed Jaha said establishment of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno state helped a great deal in the fight against Boko Haram in Borno state, reducing their occupation to the barest minimum.

He said if the locals who will form part of the state Police are involved in policing the states, intelligence gathering will be much easier.

Also,. Babajimi Benson from Lagos state supported the bill, commending the Deputy Speaker for initiating it.

On his part Awaji-Inombek Abiante noted that Nigeria has experienced enough of insecurity and establishing state police is a way to ensure that Nigerians sleep with their eyes closed.

Speaking against the bill, Aliyu Madaki said the state police should not be used as a platform to just create employment because the issue is beyond politics.

Also, Sada Soli Jibia expressed concern that the federal government is still struggling to fund the 400,000 Police, so creating a state police which is a capital intensive process would be an added burden on the state and may be subject to abuse.

The bill was later referred to the Committee on Constitution Review by the Deputy Speaker who presided over the session.

He urged members who have further inputs on the bill to channel such concerns to the committee.

Despite previous attempts in past assemblies, the bill is yet to materialize into a law.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji