Reps drop own state police bill, advance Tinubu’s constitutional proposal

The House of Representatives has set aside its own constitutional amendment bill on state policing, choosing instead to proceed with the Executive proposal submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

During Tuesday’s plenary, lawmakers gave the Executive-sponsored bill its first and second readings before referring it to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed scrutiny.

The decision clears the way for lawmakers to focus on a single proposal as deliberations continue on constitutional amendments aimed at creating state police as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.

The House Committee on Constitutional Review is expected to examine the bill and submit its recommendations before it returns to the chamber for further debate and voting.

The proposal is one of several constitutional reform initiatives designed to tackle Nigeria’s persistent security challenges through a decentralised policing system.

The latest move represents a major milestone in the National Assembly’s renewed push for state policing, a long-standing reform advocates say could improve local security and enhance responses to crime across the country.