Plans to establish state police in Nigeria face uncertainty as only five of the 36 State Houses of Assembly had approved the proposed constitutional amendment before the National Assembly’s October 16 deadline.
Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara have approved the amendment, which requires the support of at least 24 state legislatures before it can proceed to presidential assent under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
The bill was transmitted to the state assemblies on September 16, following its passage by the Senate on June 24 and the House of Representatives on July 23.
While some states are still reviewing the proposal or planning public hearings, others have yet to announce their positions.
The spokesperson for the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Nasiru Biya-Buki, confirmed that the bill had been passed and forwarded to the National Assembly.
“The Zamfara State House of Assembly has since passed the bill regarding the creation of the state police.
“The bill has been sent to the National Assembly, Abuja, as requested. So, we are waiting for the next line of action to take”, he said.
In Ogun, former Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendment, Olakunle Oluomo, said he had proposed a public hearing to familiarise residents with the bill.
“I look forward to meeting the Speaker this week so that we can fix a date for public hearing about it, so that our people can get familiarised with the content of the bill and then we take it up from there”, he said.
Delta and Abia have received the proposal but are yet to take definitive positions. In Anambra, the Clerk of the Assembly, Tony Ughenu, said lawmakers had been notified of the bill but were yet to formally consider it.
“The House normally is expected to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on it,”, he said.
Kaduna is reviewing the bill and plans to hold a public hearing, while Imo lawmakers are expected to consider the proposal following their resumption from recess.
The House of Representatives leadership has yet to issue a formal statement on the slow pace of approvals. However, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman, Yemi Adaramodu, assured Nigerians that the process would be completed before the 10th National Assembly’s tenure ends.
“We are still waiting after transmitting to the states. We only need 24 State Houses of Assembly to consent. That’s two-thirds of 36. So, once we get that, we will go ahead and promulgate”, he said.
“There is no need for fear. This is the 10th Senate, isn’t it? I can assure you that it will be done in the life of this 10th Senate before the next one comes on board”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Presidency says the proposed National Policing Bill, which will provide the operational framework for the planned state police system, is 90 per cent ready and expected to be transmitted to the National Assembly by October 29.
The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this after a steering committee meeting at the State House, Abuja.
“The National Policing Bill is more or less ready for transmission to the National Assembly. We will probably have one more meeting after this to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure every area is covered. So, we are 90 per cent ready”, he said.
“The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so”.
Gbajabiamila described the proposal as “the most consequential Bill of the administration so far” and expressed confidence that states would support the reform.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it”, he stated.
President Bola Tinubu established the Presidential Working Group to develop a framework covering policing standards, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and funding. He has maintained that the constitutional amendment will provide the foundation for state police, while the National Policing Bill will establish how the system operates.
At the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council on Wednesday, Tinubu reiterated his commitment to the reform, declaring that state police “will be a reality.”
