House Passes State Police Bill as Minority Lawmakers Stage Walkout

Nigeria moved a step closer to state-controlled policing on Thursday after the House of Representatives approved an Executive Bill to create state police services.

As reported by Champion Newspapers, the approval came amid drama in Abuja, with opposition members storming out over the way the vote was handled.

311 lawmakers participated in the exercise. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas said 276 cast their votes in the chamber, while 35 voted online. Before the vote, the House adopted recommendations from the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

The bill “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797)” seeks to amend the constitution to allow states to operate police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

Lawmakers abandoned their own earlier draft and a 12-member harmonization panel set up on July 9. Instead, they adopted the version sent by President Bola Tinubu last week. In his message to the House, Tinubu said the proposal improves on previous attempts and includes checks to ensure transparency in a dual policing arrangement. He added that it would boost security and give authorities better tools to tackle kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and other crimes.

The Senate had already passed its own version, meaning both chambers are now aligned. The next stage is the broader constitutional amendment process.

Tension rose when Abbas put the bill to a voice vote without reading out its 26 clauses individually. Minority Leader Frederick Agbedi tried to raise objections but was not recognized. The Speaker called for “ayes” and “nays,” declared the “ayes” had carried the day, and the minority caucus walked out, alleging a breach of parliamentary rules.

Responding, Abbas said the required constitutional threshold had been met.

The debate over decentralizing policing has lasted for years. With the House and Senate now in agreement, the focus shifts to whether the amendment will scale the final hurdles and become law.

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