Reps set to pass state police bill Thursday – Deputy Speaker

The House of Representatives has expressed its readiness to pass the State Police Bill on Thursday as part of efforts to address the worsening security challenges confronting the country.

Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House and chairman of the constitution review committee, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing members of the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja on behalf of the 37 caucus leaders in the Green Chamber.

Kalu said the proposed constitutional amendment seeking the establishment of state police had become imperative in view of the increasing incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes across the country.

According to him, the National Assembly has a constitutional responsibility not only to exercise oversight over security agencies but also to deploy legislative instruments to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.

“When we say that the security of lives and property is the primary purpose of government, the legislature must also play its part. Beyond summoning service chiefs and relevant agencies, there is a need for us to deploy legislative tools to bridge the gaps in the nation’s security framework,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker noted that extensive consultations had been carried out on the proposal, adding that the Inspector-General of Police and his team, the executive arm of government, and the 36 state governors had all indicated support for the establishment of state police.

He explained that the current constitutional provisions, particularly Section 214 and other related sections, do not adequately provide for the kind of decentralised policing structure required to effectively combat insecurity and ensure faster response to criminal incidents.

“We have discovered that leaving the law as it is will not give us the expected results Nigerians desire. Therefore, we have prioritised constitutional amendments aimed at unbundling security-related challenges through legislation targeting state policing,” he said.

Kalu assured Nigerians that the House was united in its resolve to ensure the success of the initiative, dismissing reports suggesting that there were attempts to frustrate the proposal.

“We are here to announce to Nigerians that hope is coming. Hope for a better response time to incidents of crime is here. By tomorrow, we will be voting on the constitutional amendment, and we are prioritising state police.

“We have read reports that some people are trying to stop it, but the Parliament is marching forward and by tomorrow, we will be concluding on this. Nobody is stopping us from moving ahead with state police,” he stated.

He expressed optimism that once passed by the National Assembly, the amendment would receive the backing of state legislatures, given what he described as the positive disposition of governors across the federation.

“We are hopeful that after the exercise tomorrow, the amendment will be transmitted to the states and, judging by the body language of the 36 governors who support state police, they will work with their Houses of Assembly to ensure quick ratification before it is transmitted to Mr President for assent,” he added.

The Deputy Speaker also called on members of the House currently carrying out oversight functions across the country to immediately return to Abuja for Thursday’s plenary, describing the issue as an emergency requiring the presence and support of all lawmakers.

“We want all members to be in the chamber tomorrow to demonstrate to Nigerians that security remains a top priority on our agenda and that the House stands firmly behind the establishment of state police,” Kalu said.