The House of Representatives has passed the Executive Bill seeking to establish state police, moving Nigeria a step closer to adopting a decentralised policing system.
The bill was approved during plenary on Thursday after lawmakers withdrew an earlier constitutional amendment proposal on state policing and instead adopted the Executive Bill.
The development marks a major milestone in ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture by introducing a dual policing structure that would allow states to operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
The House’s approval comes shortly after the Senate also passed its version of the legislation, signalling growing legislative support for the long-debated proposal.
Supporters of the bill argue that state police will strengthen internal security, enhance community policing, and improve the ability of state governments to tackle local security challenges more effectively.
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The proposed reform is widely seen as a response to the country’s persistent security threats, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other violent crimes, which have stretched the capacity of the centrally controlled police system.
With both chambers of the National Assembly now backing the legislation, the bill has moved a significant step closer to becoming law, paving the way for a new policing framework designed to improve security and law enforcement across the federation.
Further details on the legislation are expected to emerge.