House Withdraws State Police Bill, Adopts Tinubu’s Executive Proposal

The House of Representatives has withdrawn its own constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police, opting instead to consider the executive-sponsored version submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system.

Global Mirror News gathered that the decision was announced during Tuesday’s plenary session, a move that effectively merges the legislative process into a single bill to avoid duplication and accelerate deliberations on the proposed constitutional amendment.

Following the withdrawal of the House-sponsored bill, lawmakers immediately proceeded to consider the Executive proposal, which successfully passed both its first and second readings during the sitting.

The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed legislative scrutiny, public hearings, and clause-by-clause consideration before it is returned to the House for final debate and passage.

The move is seen as a strategic step to streamline the legislative process for one of the country’s most significant security reforms. Rather than considering two separate bills with similar objectives, lawmakers will now focus on the executive-backed proposal, which is expected to provide the legal framework for the creation of state police across Nigeria.

If eventually passed by the National Assembly and approved by the required number of state Houses of Assembly, the constitutional amendment would pave the way for states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

The debate over state policing has gained renewed attention in recent years amid growing concerns over insecurity, with many stakeholders advocating decentralised policing as a means of improving security response at the grassroots level. However, critics have also expressed concerns over the possible abuse of state-controlled police by political office holders.

The House Committee on Constitutional Review is expected to engage key stakeholders, including security experts, state governments, civil society organisations, and members of the public, before presenting its recommendations to the House.