JUST-IN: Reps Withdraw State Police Bill, Adopt Tinubu’s Proposal

The House of Representatives has withdrawn its proposed constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, opting instead to consider a similar Executive-sponsored proposal transmitted by President Bola Tinubu.

The decision followed deliberations during Tuesday’s plenary, where lawmakers gave the Executive-backed state police constitutional amendment bill its first and second readings.

Following the readings, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed legislative consideration.

The development marks a significant shift in the House’s approach to the long-debated issue of state policing, with lawmakers shelving their own proposal in favour of the Executive’s version.

By adopting the Executive-sponsored bill for further consideration, the House has effectively suspended work on its earlier constitutional amendment on state police, allowing the President’s proposal to take precedence in the legislative process.

The Committee on Constitutional Review is expected to subject the bill to detailed scrutiny, examining its key provisions and constitutional implications before presenting its report to the House for further debate and possible passage.

The move represents another step in ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the establishment of state police, a proposal that has gained traction amid growing concerns over insecurity and increasing calls for the decentralisation of policing across the country.