THE HOUSE of Representatives on Tuesday rescinded its earlier resolution on a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police Services and passed for second reading a revised Executive Bill transmitted by President Bola Tinubu on the same subject.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta), pursuant to Order Nine, Rule 6 of the House Standing Orders.
Lawmakers agreed to withdraw the House’s earlier proposal to avoid duplication and pave the way for consideration of the executive-backed version.
Waive recalled that the House had on June 11 approved amendments to several sections of the 1999 Constitution, including provisions for the establishment of State Police Services.
He added that a 12-member Conference Committee was constituted on July 9 to harmonise the decisions of both chambers of the National Assembly on the proposed state police framework.
According to him, fresh developments regarding the contents of the bill made it necessary for the House to review its earlier decision.
“New facts have emerged regarding the provisions of the Bill, which necessitate a critical review and reconsideration of its clauses to align with the national security structure,” Waive said.
He said the House needed to rescind its earlier resolution on the bill and the constitution of the Conference Committee to allow consideration of the revised executive proposal.
Following a voice vote conducted by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, lawmakers unanimously approved the motion and withdrew the earlier House bill.
The House subsequently passed for second reading the Executive Bill seeking to amend the Constitution to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of State Police Services.
The bill, transmitted by President Tinubu and read during plenary by the Speaker, builds on previous legislative efforts while introducing additional safeguards for the operation of a dual policing structure.
In a communication to the House, the President said the proposed legislation was designed to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges through a more effective and responsive security architecture.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the House of Representatives will act quickly to consider and pass this bill,” Tinubu said.
The executive proposal is among several constitutional amendment bills before the National Assembly as part of broader efforts to reform the country’s security system through the creation of state-controlled police forces.
The debate over state policing has intensified in recent years amid growing insecurity across the country. Proponents argue that decentralising policing would improve intelligence gathering and enhance local security, while opponents have expressed concerns that state governments could abuse state police formations for political purposes.
The executive bill will now proceed through the constitutional amendment process alongside other executive-sponsored reform measures before the National Assembly.
