The House of Representatives has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
The bill was approved during Thursday's plenary session, marking a significant step in ongoing efforts to reform the country's security architecture and address growing security challenges.
The proposed legislation seeks to decentralise policing by granting states the constitutional authority to establish and operate their own police services alongside existing federal security structures.
The development comes amid increasing calls for security reforms in response to challenges such as banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and other violent crimes across parts of the country.
The bill is expected to undergo further constitutional processes, including consideration by the Senate and approval by state Houses of Assembly, before it can become law.
Supporters of the proposal argue that state police would strengthen intelligence gathering and improve responses to local security concerns, while discussions on the framework and implementation are expected to continue as the legislative process progresses.
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Politics