The Senate on Wednesday passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police across the country, marking a major step in ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
The details indicated that Nigerian state governors are now empowered to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states.
The approval followed extensive consideration of the proposal by lawmakers during plenary.
Before the vote, senators abandoned plans to use the electronic voting system after the device developed technical issues, raising concerns about the possibility of some lawmakers being excluded from the exercise.
To ensure full participation, the Senate resolved to adopt a manual voting process in which senators openly declared their positions on the bill.
Under the procedure, each lawmaker was required to stand, identify himself or herself and publicly state a vote on the proposed state police framework.
The motion for the adoption of manual voting was moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and received the support of the chamber.
The passage of the bill represents one of the most significant constitutional reforms considered by the National Assembly in recent years, as advocates argue that state policing will enhance local security and improve responses to criminal activities.
The constitutional amendment will, however, require further legislative processes before it becomes fully operational.
