The Oyo State House of Assembly has approved the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police Services across Nigeria, marking another major step in the push to decentralise the country’s policing system.
The lawmakers passed the bill during plenary on Tuesday after considering its provisions clause by clause.
The legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for states that wish to establish and operate their own police services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the federal police authority...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The proposal had already been approved by the Senate and House of Representatives before being transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for consideration.
Under the proposed arrangement, State Police would be responsible for enforcing state laws, maintaining public safety and order, preventing and detecting offences, protecting lives and property and carrying out other policing responsibilities assigned by state legislation.
The proposed constitutional framework would also allow each state to establish a State Police Service Commission responsible for key administrative and disciplinary matters involving state police personnel.
These responsibilities would include appointments, promotions, transfers, discipline, oversight and the handling of complaints involving officers.
The bill also proposes the creation of the position of State Commander of Police to head each State Police Service.
Under the proposed framework, the State Commander would be appointed by the governor based on the recommendation of the National Police Council, with the appointment subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.
The Oyo Assembly’s approval means the state’s resolution will now be communicated to the National Assembly as part of the constitutional alteration process.
For the amendment to eventually become part of the Nigerian Constitution, it must receive the approval of at least two thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, which means a minimum of 24 states must approve it.
The push for State Police has gained renewed attention amid persistent concerns about insecurity, violent crime, kidnapping and the ability of the existing centralised policing structure to effectively respond to security challenges across Nigeria’s diverse communities.
Supporters of the proposal have argued that allowing states to establish their own police services could bring security operations closer to local communities and improve responses to crimes that require detailed knowledge of local conditions.
However, the proposed system also raises questions about funding, accountability, operational independence and the possibility of political interference in state policing.
The constitutional amendment process is therefore expected to attract further debate as more state legislatures consider the proposal.
With Oyo State now having approved the bill, attention shifts to the remaining state Houses of Assembly and whether the required number of states will endorse the constitutional amendment.
The National Assembly will proceed with the next stage of the process after receiving the resolutions from the state legislatures, bringing the country closer to a possible constitutional framework for State Police.
