The House of Representatives has intensified its push for the establishment of state police, declaring that lawmakers are prepared to take decisive legislative action to address Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
Addressing journalists alongside zonal and caucus leaders of the House, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu said the National Assembly was determined to complement the efforts of the Executive through constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening policing and improving responses to insecurity across the country.
Kalu noted that while Parliament has continued to exercise its oversight powers by summoning security chiefs and government officials, lawmakers must also deploy legislative solutions to tackle the root causes of the nation’s security crisis.
He said; “the House has always served as a platform where national challenges are debated and practical solutions developed through legislation.”
According to him, lawmakers have concluded that the current constitutional framework governing policing is inadequate to meet the security expectations of Nigerians.
“We have discovered that leaving the law as it is will not give us the results Nigerians expect in addressing insecurity. Therefore, we decided to prioritise legislative reforms targeting policing and security response,” he said.
Kalu disclosed that consultations on state policing had attracted broad support from critical stakeholders, including the Inspector-General of Police, Governors and the Executive arm of government.
He argued that Constitutional provisions, particularly Section 214 and related clauses, would need to be amended to pave the way for state police.
“The structure agreed upon by the IGP and his team has received national consensus. The Executive and Governors have also bought into the need for State police,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker revealed that the House would vote on Constitutional amendment proposals, with State police receiving priority attention. He said that lawmakers across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory were united in support of the proposal.
“We are here to announce to Nigerians that hope is coming. Better response to crime and insecurity is possible, and we are prioritising state police in the constitutional amendment process,” he stated.
Dismissing reports that some individuals were attempting to frustrate the proposal, Kalu insisted that the House remained committed to the reform.
“The Parliament is marching forward and nobody is stopping us from going ahead with state police,” he said.
Expressing confidence in the next phase of the constitutional amendment process, Kalu said lawmakers expected strong support from governors and state Houses of Assembly once the proposal leaves the National Assembly.
He also urged lawmakers currently engaged in oversight functions across the country to return to Abuja for the vote, describing the matter as an emergency requiring full participation.
The proposed State police framework remains one of the most closely watched constitutional amendment initiatives before the National Assembly. Supporters argue that decentralised policing will improve intelligence gathering, strengthen local security responses and help address persistent insecurity challenges.
The bill, sponsored by Kalu and 14 other lawmakers, was passed on February 20, 2024. It seeks to transfer “Police” from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby empowering states to establish and control their own police forces.
The proposal contains 16 Constitutional amendments and provides a framework to ensure coordination, accountability and uniform standards between federal and state police structures. It also seeks to establish State Police Service Commissions with clearly defined roles and jurisdictions.
