The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria.
Naijaonpoint reports that the bill seeks to amend several sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide a framework for the creation, funding, regulation and operation of state police services.
It also retains the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as a federal policing institution.
Among its provisions, the bill empowers state governors to appoint commissioners of police for their respective states.
It also provides for the creation of State Police Service Commissions to regulate and oversee the operations of state police formations.
The proposed legislation limits federal interference in state policing while allowing the Federal Government to provide grants to state police services.
Calls for state police have intensified in recent years following worsening insecurity across the country.
Supporters of the proposal argue that decentralised policing will improve intelligence gathering, response time and community-level security.
The bill is part of ongoing efforts by the National Assembly to reform Nigeria’s security architecture and respond to growing demands for localised policing.
Here are some of the key provisions of the bill.
Section 214 provides that the national assembly shall prescribe the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the federal police and establish guidelines for the establishment of state police.
A state police service will only become operational after a state house of assembly passes a law establishing it, and it is certified to meet national minimum standards.
This means state governments will not have unrestricted powers to establish police services.
States will be required to comply with nationally prescribed standards before their police outfits can begin operations, creating uniform benchmarks across the federation.
The bill provides that even after state police become operational, the federal police will continue to perform federal policing functions and may assist state police when necessary.
The federal police will also continue to maintain public security throughout the federation to the extent provided by law.
The proposal does not abolish the existing police structure. Instead, it creates a dual policing arrangement in which federal and state police will coexist, similar to systems practised in several federal countries.
Under section 214(6), the federal police cannot interfere in the operations or internal security affairs of a state except in limited circumstances.
These include situations in which there is a complete breakdown of law and order, when a governor requests intervention, or when a state police service becomes ineffective due to administrative or financial problems. Any intervention must first receive approval from the National Police Council.
The provision prevents arbitrary federal control over state police and requires the approval of the National Police Council before federal intervention can occur.
Section 215 provides that a state police service shall be headed by a commissioner of police appointed by the governor on the advice of the National Police Council and subject to confirmation by the state house of assembly.
Governors may also issue lawful directives relating to public safety and order.
However, where a commissioner of police believes such directives are unlawful or contrary to policing standards, the matter may be referred to the National Police Council, whose decision will be final.
The provision gives governors operational authority over state police while creating safeguards against political abuse.
Commissioners of police will have an avenue to challenge directives considered unlawful or inconsistent with professional standards.
