Jigawa Assembly Passes State Police Bill

The bill was passed during a plenary session presided over by Dangyatin after members of the House unanimously approved it.

Speaking to journalists after the passage, the Speaker explained that the delay in passing the bill was due to the need for thorough legislative scrutiny to ensure that all relevant issues were carefully examined before the Assembly reached a decision.

He said the House received the bill from the National Assembly while it was on recess but commenced work on it immediately after resumption, expediting the legislative process before its eventual passage.

“We received the bill when the House was on recess, and when we resumed we began the work and expedited all our actions, and today we have finally passed it in accordance with the law,” Dangyatin said.

The Speaker expressed confidence that the establishment of state police would provide additional support for tackling the country’s internal security challenges.

He said the recruitment of personnel with adequate knowledge of their communities would be a key advantage of the proposed state police system, particularly in understanding local geography, culture and other factors relevant to effective policing.

“Everyone to be recruited as state police will be a person that has full knowledge of his community, geographical terrain, cultural setup and other required experience to ensure professional and adequate policing,” he said.

Dangyatin also dismissed concerns that state governors could use the proposed security outfit to target political opponents, insisting that its operations would be guided by law and that it would function as a public institution for the benefit of all citizens.

He maintained that the legal framework governing state police would provide the basis for its operations, while reassuring residents that the establishment of the outfit was intended to improve security rather than serve partisan interests.

The Speaker further assured the public that the Jigawa State Government would make adequate financial provisions for the training and equipping of personnel once the state police system was established.

According to him, sufficient funding would be necessary to ensure that recruited officers acquire the skills and equipment required to carry out their policing responsibilities professionally.

Dangyatin also credited President Bola Tinubu with championing the establishment of state police, describing the passage of the bill by state assemblies across the country as a significant development.

He said the approval of the proposal by state assemblies underscored its importance in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

The passage of the bill by the Jigawa Assembly marks the completion of its consideration at the state legislative level. However, the Speaker’s remarks on recruitment, funding and safeguards against political misuse reflect expectations for the proposed system rather than confirmation that state police operations have commenced.