The chairman of the Nigerian house of representatives committee on rules and business, Honourable Francis waive said the much talked about amendment of the Nigeria police act to accommodate state police would take two years.
Waive said the house of representatives committee on constitution review have a scheduled meeting with state governors, traditional rulers, and leaders of faith-based organizations in June on the state police bill, before then, the committee, Waive said, will meet with civil society groups, citizens and marginalized groups and this would be coordinated by the Constitution Review Committee and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.
The police bill, sponsored by the deputy speaker of the house, Honourable Benjamin kalu and 14 others, passed the second reading on February 20th, 2024. It seeks to, among other things, alter the relevant sections of the 1999 constitution to pave the way for states to establish their policing outfits.
The bill, titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for Establishment of State Police and Related Matters,’ the bill puts the police on the concurrent list.
In the 1999 constitution, policing is on the Exclusive Legislative List and therefore, under the direct control of the Federal Government.
The bill comprises 18 clauses and aims to amend sections 34, 35, 39, 42, 84, 89, 129, 153, 197, 214, 215 and 216 of the constitution.
The constitution amendment process is expected to run from January 2024 to December 2025, according to the work plan unveiled by the committee on constitution review chaired by the deputy speaker, house of representatives, Benjamin Kalu.
The chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Waive, explained that being a constitutional matter, it would be difficult to put a date of passage to the state police bill, adding, however, that the Constitution Review Committee had rolled out its two year-work plan. He said, “That (state police) is a constitutional matter. After the second reading, the bill was referred to the Constitution Review Committee like all other constitutional amendment issues. The committee has rolled out its two-year work plan.
