The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the State Police Bill, paving the way for the decentralisation of the country’s policing system amid growing concerns over insecurity, kidnappings and banditry.
According to Punch, 289 lawmakers voted in favour of the bill during plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, while only one member voted against it. The Speaker abstained from voting.
The session was not without controversy. Kaduna lawmaker Bashir Zubairu protested that members received the constitution review document only hours before deliberations, arguing they had insufficient time to study it. His objection was overruled as proceedings continued.
The vote was conducted manually after the House’s electronic voting system reportedly failed.
The bill’s passage marks a significant step in the long-running debate over state police, a proposal supporters say will help tackle Nigeria’s worsening security challenges. Punch reported that further legislative processes are expected before the proposal can become law. :::
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