The bill to amend the Constitution to allow the creation of state police will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent on Wednesday.
Naija News reports that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this while presiding over plenary, after 29 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly endorsed the proposal.
Kalu expressed delight that more than two-thirds of the state legislatures had approved the amendment, describing it as a major step towards decentralised policing in the country.
“The State Police Bill has received the backing of 29 State Assemblies. Later today, the Clerk to the National Assembly will transmit it to the President for assent,” he said.
The endorsement marks a significant milestone in the push to amend the Constitution to allow states to establish and run their own police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
The reform seeks to address concerns that the country’s centralised policing structure limits the ability of security agencies to respond effectively to local threats.
Under the proposed arrangement, state governments will take greater responsibility for policing within their territories, while the Federal Government will maintain its own police structure.
The reform is expected to enable states to adopt security strategies suited to their needs, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen community-based policing.
The transmission of the bill to the President is the final stage of the constitutional amendment process, following its passage by the National Assembly and endorsement by the required number of state legislatures.
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