A bill seeking to establish state police and devolve policing powers to state governments has scaled second reading in the Senate, marking a major step in efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
The bill passed second reading this Thursday and was referred by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative consideration.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described state police as a critical reform that would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enhance response to security threats.
Bamidele said the proposed law would create federal and state police structures, establish State Police Service Commissions and provide safeguards against abuse by state governments.
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