By our reporter/ The house of representative committee on constitutional amendment on Thursday rejected a bill seeking to establish state police in the country.
The bill, sponsored by Onofiok Luke, a lawmaker from Akwa Ibom, which sought to decentralise security powers in section 214 (c) from the exclusive list to the concurrent list, to empower “both the national assembly and houses of assembly of states to legislate on police and other security matters” had passed second reading at the lower legislative chamber in July 2021.
But at its sitting on Wednesday, 14 legislators voted against the amendment while 11 lawmakers voted in favour.
Idris Wase, the deputy speaker of the house who is the chairman of the committee, had put the bill to voting after Fred Agbedi, a lawmaker from Bayelsa, raised a motion that the bill be voted on.
According to Muhammed Wudil, a legislator from Kano, who spoke against the bill, “There are lots of things as regards the creation of state police. There is a lot of apprehension, most especially the nature of the country now; we are almost, in some cases divided and any governor can decide to take out whatever security measures against political opponents.”
Wednesday’s vote by the lawmakers effectively means the bill will not be subjected to any further legislative deliberation.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last year rejected the establishment of state police, saying the move will not address the security challenges confronting the country.
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