The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the State Police Bill, paving the way for the decentralisation of Nigeria’s policing system.
The bill was approved during plenary presided over by Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, with 289 lawmakers voting in support of the proposal.
Only one member voted against it, while the Speaker abstained.
The session witnessed some controversy after a lawmaker from Kaduna State, Bashir Zubairu, raised concerns that members had only received the constitution review committee’s report on the bill shortly before the sitting and had insufficient time to study it. However, his objection was overruled, allowing the voting process to continue.
Speaker Abbas also disclosed that the electronic voting system was faulty, leading lawmakers to vote based on attendance.
The passage of the bill comes amid growing concerns over insecurity, including rising cases of killings, kidnappings, and banditry across the country.
