The State Police Bill has passed a major legislative hurdle after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in support of the proposal during Thursday’s plenary session.
The approval marks a significant step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to address rising insecurity and strengthen policing at the state level.
Supporters of the bill believe state-controlled police forces could help tackle security challenges more effectively by bringing law enforcement closer to local communities.
The House dedicated its session to debating and voting on the State Police Bill amid growing concerns over kidnappings, bandit attacks and violent crimes reported in several parts of the country.
During the session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, 289 lawmakers voted in favour of the bill, while only one member opposed it. The Speaker did not participate in the vote.
The debate, however, was briefly interrupted when Kaduna lawmaker Bashir Zubairu raised concerns about the process.
He argued that members had only received the report of the House Committee on Constitution Review earlier in the day and had not been given enough time to study its contents before voting.
According to Zubairu, lawmakers should have been allowed more time to carefully review the document before making a decision on such an important constitutional matter.
Despite his objection, the House dismissed the concerns and proceeded with deliberations on the State Police Bill.
Why the State Police Bill Matters
For years, Nigerians have debated whether the country’s highly centralised policing system is capable of addressing security threats across its diverse regions.
Advocates of the State Police Bill argue that allowing states to establish and manage their own police forces could improve response times, strengthen intelligence gathering and enhance community policing efforts.
As lawmakers considered the clauses of the bill, several members attempted to raise points of order, but Speaker Abbas allowed the exercise to continue.
Before voting commenced, the Speaker informed lawmakers that the electronic voting system was experiencing technical difficulties. As a result, voting was conducted based on attendance records.
In the end, the State Police Bill secured near-unanimous support from lawmakers, reflecting growing political backing for reforms aimed at improving security nationwide.
While the bill still has constitutional hurdles to cross before becoming law, Thursday’s vote represents one of the most significant advances yet in the push for state policing in Nigeria.
