Sokoto Assembly okays establishment of state police

The Sokoto State House of Assembly unanimously adopted the Sixth Alteration Bill, which seeks to provide a constitutional framework for establishing state police services in Nigeria. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mustapha Abdullahi (APC-Sokoto South II), moved the motionduring plenary in Sokoto on Tuesday.

Presenting the bill, Abdullahi said it sought to amend the 1999 Constitution, as altered, to establish state police services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the federal police service. He said the executive transmitted the bill, the Senate considered it on June 24, the House of Representatives on July 23, andthe Sokoto Assembly on September 22.

According to him, the proposed framework will delineate the responsibilities of federal and state police services to ensure effective policing and address security challenges across the country. He explained that the federal police would handle interstate and international crimes, terrorism, cybercrime, border security, policing of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and protection of federal assets.

“Conversely, state police services would be responsible for law enforcement, maintenance of public order and safety, protection of lives and property, and investigation of local crimes. “Therefore, the federal police and state police will function side-by-side in every state,” Abdullahi said. The lawmaker added that the federal police could intervene in state policing matters at the request of a state governor or where there was a breakdown of law and order that the state police could not contain.

He said the head of a state police service would be known as the State Commander of Police and appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the National Police Council, subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly. Abdullahi further explained that the bill proposed the establishment of a State Police Service Commission as an executive body responsible for the appointment, promotion and discipline of state police personnel, except the State Commander.

On funding, the lawmaker said the proposed framework would provide for the State Police Service Commission to receive funds directly from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund to ensure financial autonomy. He added that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to operate in every state until the state’s police service commenced operations. Abdullahi cited Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides that a constitutional alteration must be approved by resolutions of the houses of assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.

Contributing to the debate, several lawmakers supported the bill, describing state policing as a necessary measure to address the security challenges confronting states across the country. The Speaker, Alhaji Tukur Bala, who presided over the plenary, subsequently put the motion to a voice vote and the lawmakers unanimously adopted it.