A significant gathering of distinguished personalities took place in Abuja on Monday, as former Nigeria’s military Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and retired Catholic Archbishop John Onaiyekan attended a national dialogue on state policing.
The event, organized by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, marks the commencement of discussions on the proposed alteration to the 2023 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, specifically focused on the establishment of state police. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and supported by 13 others, aims to enhance public safety and bolster law enforcement capabilities in Nigeria through the decentralization of the police force.
It outlines a constitutional framework that allows states to establish and maintain their own police services in addition to the federal police. During his welcome address, Kalu, who chairs the House Constitution Review Committee, emphasized that the bill seeks to clarify the powers and responsibilities of both federal and state police, as well as address matters related to their funding and oversight.
Further details will follow in due course.
