The Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
The bill passed its first, second and third readings during plenary in Awka on Tuesday, marking a step towards the proposed decentralisation of policing and efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
The executive bill, which originated from the Presidency, seeks to establish a constitutional framework allowing states to create their own police services, subject to national legislation and prescribed policing standards, The News Edition reports.
Following the passage, the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze, directed the Clerk of the Assembly to transmit the House’s resolution to the National Assembly for further legislative action.
How the Proposed State Police Bill Would Work
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to provide a legal framework for establishing state police services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force’s responsibilities at the federal level.
Under the proposed arrangement, the Nigeria Police Force would remain the default policing institution in a state until a state police service had been lawfully established and certified as operational.
The bill also provides for the continued policing responsibilities of the Federal Government across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
It outlines safeguards intended to guide the operation of state police, including civilian oversight, human rights protection, national policing standards and independent police service commissions.
Other provisions cover cooperation between federal and state authorities, criminal information systems and firearms control.
The proposed framework also provides for exceptional federal intervention in state policing where there is institutional breakdown, serious incapacity, a threat to national security or grave abuses.
Anambra Speaker Orders Transmission to National Assembly
The bill was adopted through a voice vote during plenary presided over by Speaker Somtochukwu Udeze.
Speaking after the passage, Udeze said the Assembly had fulfilled its constitutional responsibility and instructed the Clerk to forward the resolution to the National Assembly.
The transmission is intended to advance the legislative process surrounding the proposed constitutional amendment.
However, passage by the Anambra State House of Assembly does not, by itself, establish state police in Anambra or Nigeria. The proposal must proceed through the constitutionally prescribed amendment process before the relevant provisions can take effect.
Anambra Lawmakers Back State Police Amid Security Concerns
The Majority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Ikenna Ofodeme, described state police as necessary for addressing security challenges across the country.
He argued that many security threats originate at the community level and require responses that are faster and more closely connected to local conditions.
Ofodeme also rejected concerns that state police could be abused, maintaining that decentralised policing would allow state authorities to respond to security threats without waiting for directives from the Inspector-General of Police.
According to the lawmaker, establishing state police could strengthen security operations, create employment opportunities for young people and reduce the pressure on the military, which is frequently deployed to support internal security operations.
He further suggested that local vigilantes could be incorporated into the policing structure after receiving appropriate training.
Ofodeme maintained that bringing policing closer to communities would improve response times and strengthen efforts to tackle insecurity.
What the Anambra State Police Bill Means for Nigeria
The passage of the bill adds to the ongoing national debate over whether policing responsibilities should be decentralised to enable states to respond more effectively to local security threats.
Supporters of state police argue that state governments are better positioned to understand security challenges within their territories and coordinate responses with local communities.
However, concerns remain over the potential for political interference, human rights abuses, inadequate funding and differences in policing standards between states.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to address some of these concerns through provisions for oversight, national standards and cooperation between federal and state authorities.
For now, the passage of the bill by the Anambra State House of Assembly represents a legislative step towards the proposed reform, rather than the immediate establishment of state police.
The next stages of the constitutional amendment process will determine whether the proposal can become part of Nigeria’s legal framework.