Many Northern states pass state police bill into law; others dither

By Steve Oko, Vin Ujumadu, Chinedu Adonu & Jeff Agbodo The various Houses of Assembly in the South-East have backed the Bill for State Police. While Anambra , Enugu, Imo and Abia have passed the Bill, Ebonyi House of Assembly is at the verge of passing it into law.The executive bill, which originated from the Presidency, was passed through the first, second and third readings during plenary on Tuesday. The proposed framework allows states to establish their own police services, subject to constitutional provisions and national policing standards prescribed by the National Assembly.

Presiding over the plenary, Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Somtochukwu Udeze, directed the Clerk to transmit the resolution to the National Assembly. The Majority Leader, Ikenna Ofodeme, said state police would strengthen grassroots security, facilitate quicker responses to threats, create jobs and reduce the military’s involvement in internal security operations.

He also proposed integrating local vigilantes into the state policing system after appropriate training. Throwing their weight behind the Bill, the Enugu State House of Assembly, said decentralising the country’s policing architecture would improve security and strengthen the protection of lives and property. The lawmakers expressed their positions on Tuesday, November 20 during plenary while considering a proposed constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of State Police Service and related matters.

Supporting the proposal, the member representing Ezeagu Constituency, Hon. Chima Obieze, said the establishment of state police would make policing more effective by bringing security operations closer to the people. According to him: “The establishment of State Police will decentralise the policing architecture of the country and make it more effective in the protection of lives and property across the state.” Similarly, the member representing Nkanu East Constituency, Hon.

Okey Mbah, said state police could help tackle recurring security challenges, including violence and attacks attributed to herders in different parts of the state. Mbah maintained that a decentralised policing system would enable authorities to respond more effectively to security threats within their respective communities. He said the establishment of state police would help “curtail incessant violence and herdsmen …

…Benue, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Yobe pass bill into law …Borno, Katsina, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kano and Jigawa still brainstorming on bill A crucial legislation which was initiated at the National Assembly to empower states to establish their police forces and use for maintaining security, which was sent to the state Houses of Assembly for adoption into state laws, has been given acceleration by many of the 19 northern states. Our correspondents find out that the bill has already been passed into law in Benue, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara and Yobe states. However, states such as Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Katsina, Kano and Bauchi are still brainstorming on the security legislation.