Kogi assembly passes state police bill

The Kogi State House of Assembly on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposed constitutional amendment to establish the state police in Nigeria, citing the need to strengthen internal security, improve emergency response and create employment opportunities.

The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, stated this during the plenary on the Constitution Amendment Bill which seeks to establish state police across the country.

He described the bill’s consideration as a significant legislative milestone, saying it provided the Assembly with an opportunity to contribute to the national conversation on improving the protection of life and property.

He said the growing incidence of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, political thuggery and other criminal activities underlined the need to explore additional measures to address the country’s security challenges.

The speaker noted that the growing complexity of security threats calls for a more decentralized policing structure that would allow States to quickly respond to security concerns within their jurisdictions.

He recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had proposed the constitutional amendment to the National Assembly, where it was considered and approved by both houses before being forwarded to the state Houses of Assembly for consideration and voting in accordance with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.