By Vincent Ujumadu
The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
The bill passed through the first, second and third readings during plenary in Awka on Tuesday, marking a step towards establishing a constitutional framework for decentralised policing in the country.
The executive bill, which originated from the Presidency, seeks to provide a legal basis for states to establish their own police services, subject to constitutional provisions and an Act of the National Assembly prescribing minimum national policing standards.
Under the proposed framework, the Nigeria Police Force would remain the default policing institution in a state until a state police service is lawfully established and certified operational.
The bill also retains the Federal Government’s policing responsibilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, while providing safeguards for civilian oversight, human rights protection, national policing standards, independent police service commissions, intergovernmental cooperation, criminal information systems and firearms control.
It further provides for exceptional federal intervention in state policing in cases involving institutional breakdown, serious incapacity, threats to national security or grave abuses.
At the plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze, the lawmakers adopted the bill through a voice vote.
Speaking after the adoption, Udeze said the House had fulfilled its constitutional responsibility and directed the Clerk of the Assembly to transmit the resolution to the National Assembly.
The Majority Leader of the House, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, described state police as necessary, arguing that many security challenges originate at the grassroots.
He disagreed with critics who fear that state police could be abused, saying the arrangement would enable state authorities to respond more quickly to security threats rather than wait for directives from the Inspector-General of Police.
According to him, establishing state police would strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity and create employment opportunities for young people.
Ofodeme also said the arrangement could reduce pressure on the military, which is frequently deployed to support the police in addressing internal security challenges.
He suggested that local vigilantes could be integrated into the policing system and given appropriate training to improve community-level security.
He maintained that a state police structure would bring policing closer to the people and improve the speed of security responses.
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