Deji Elumoye and James Emejo in Abuja

Finally, a bill for an Act to alter the Nigerian Constitution and transfer the police from the Exclusive to Concurrent Legislative List and other matters related thereto will be introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives next week.

The Senate President , Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has also called for collaboration of the 36 states’ assembly in the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to provide for state and community policing in the country.

This is coming as a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has thrown his weight behind the National Assembly’s decision to amend the constitution to provide for state police and community policing to deal with the current deteriorating state of insecurity in the country.

Sponsored by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos), the Principal Act is amended in relevant Sections by creating new sections 215 and 216 to give powers to the states to have their police force.

Essentially, the bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Cap. 23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to delete item 45 from the exclusive legislative list, grant the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly the power to make laws with respect to the creation, formation and control of Police and other Government security services in Nigeria
According to the draft bill made available to THISDAY, Section 217 of the constitution is amended to read that :“There shall be a police force in each state of the Federation.

“Subject to the provisions of this constitution: a state Police Force shall be organised and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by an act of the State House of Assembly; members of state Police shall have such powers and duties as maybe conferred upon them by law.”

Section 218. (1) reads: “There shall be – (a) a Commissioner of Police who shall be appointed by the governor on the advice of the State Police Council from among serving members of the State Police Force; (b) a Head of Police for each state of the Local Government Area of the State to be appointed by the State Police Service Commission; (2) The State Police Force shall be under the command of the State Commissioner of Police; (3) The Governor or such other Commissioner of the Government of the State as he may authorize in that behalf may give to the Commissioner of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those direction or cause them to be compiled with”.

Furthermore, Section 219 of the draft bill stated that; (1) “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the state House of Assembly may make laws for the further regulation and control of the State Police”.

Continuing, it stated:”The Principal Act is hereby amended by rearranging the existing sections 217 to 320 as sections 220 to 323. The Principal Act is hereby amended by deleting item 45 from the exclusive Legislative list in part 1 of the second schedule of the Constitution.

“That the entire items on the Exclusive Legislative List in part 1 of the second schedule of the Constitution is hereby rearranged and renumbered as items 1 to 67 with the exclusion of the deleted item under this Bill. The Principal Act is hereby amended by creating new sections 21 in part 2 of the second schedule as follows:

However, it continued that: “The National Assembly may make laws for the federation or any part thereof with respect to; a. Police force and other government security services in respect of anything pertaining to internal security and the maintenance of law and order in Nigeria; b. Regulation of ownership and control of Federal Police and other government security services.

“A House of Assembly of a state may make laws with respect to: a. The creation, formation or/and establishment of Police Force and other security services in respect of any matter pertaining to internal security and the maintenance of law and order within that state and with regard to the enforcement of any law validly made by the House of Assembly of that state; b.. Regulation of ownership and control of State Police and other State Government security services.”

Gbajabiamila had through a letter on July 3, sought the endorsement of House Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, on the draft bill for further processing.

Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/07/05/house-to-introduce-bill-on-state-police-next-week/amp/

Hian

guess dey are not about to unleash anoda set of Monsters nd Sars brutality...

End SARS

Nice

The bill as it stands is not perfect yet. Abuja shouldn't be dictating how the structure of how state police when state assemblies could easily do that. Next they claim to want commuinity policing but dont confer any powers to local government to form a police force. They still need to delete prisons from exclusive legislative list.

The point of this decentralization of police force is to get maximum efficiency. States can choose to follow different models to reflect their society. An Easy example could be Police chief is appointed by local government chairman or local government council. This will lead to less conflicts and reflect principles of federalism.

Hope it will be of great relevance in naija cos when we hear of state police we immediately dream of America's police efficieny

can smell something meaty,cause they never pass bills that is advantageous to the people.

Noted

Let's see how it goes.

I was watching the debate at d national assembly some days ago n there was one senator from Zamfara that was against d bill, he said it's a strategy to restructure the country. I shaked my head at his notion.

Question: why is d north so scared of restructuring to the extent of wanting to go against state police cause of that singular reason

The relevant law that would take care of state police should not leave the appointment of the head of state police in the hands of a state governor.

A special multi party committee for this purpose should be formed in each state assembly. They would have the power to appoint and fire an erring state police chief. This would minimize the influence of a sitting governor on a person so appointed.

Good development

Interesting.

Nice one, this is long over due, this what uk, America and many other western countries practise

Well-done Hon Femi Gbajamiabila

buhari and the Fulani terrorists will not like this development..

Good development!

We will get there!

Blue3k:


Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/07/05/house-to-introduce-bill-on-state-police-next-week/amp/

This is a smart way of ending SARS. SARS would be restricted to federal roads only. Before federal police can operate within a state, it must get the consent of the State commissioner of police. The end of SARS is in sight. The IG of police can go to hell with his killer policemen.

theenchanter:
I was watching the debate at d national assembly some days ago n there was one senator from Zamfara that was against d bill, he said it's a strategy to restructure the country. I shaked my head at his notion.

Question: why is d north so scared of restructuring to the extent of wanting to go against state police cause of that singular reason

I watched the scum too displaying his stupidity meanwhile you shouldn't be surprised about the north because of their selfish interest, imagine if the north have oil the country would've brake up years ago.

Will state assemblies be able to impeach state police IGP. It would ne stupid to recreate the situation on state level. You guys cry and pass votes of no confidence and nothing happens. The guy answers to his boss the president.

“A House of Assembly of a state may make laws with respect to: a. The creation, formation or/and establishment of Police Force and other security services in respect of any matter pertaining to internal security and the maintenance of law and order within that state and with regard to the enforcement of any law validly made by the House of Assembly of that state; b.. Regulation of ownership and control of State Police and other State Government security services.”

Paperwhite:
The earlier the better.Though the state police will have it negativity like governors highjacking them to their selfish ends, the federal police have convincingly proved that it's not capable either going by the widespread insecurity & senseless killings.

As opposed to the president using federal police for his selfish ends?

I hope the current budgetary allocation for the police force would be shared to the states to utilise since the FG will no longer control it.

AyakaDunukofia:
The relevant law that would take care of state police should not leave the appointment of the head of state police in the hands of a state governor.

A special multi party committee for this purpose should be formed in each state assembly. They would have the power to appoint and fire an erring state police chief. This would minimize the influence of a sitting governor on a person so appointed.

If you take the control of the leadership of the police from the governor, then it defeats the purpose of state police.
And the governor cannot be held liable for security inefficiency in his state.

The president controls the leadership police right now. There is no reason why the governor shouldn't control it in a state policing scenario.

What are you talking about? They didnt get rid of federal police force. The bill gives states power to establush their own. Next the stste governors and local governments recieve secruity votes. They can use that to fund their opperations.

CSTR1005:
I hope the current budgetary allocation for the police force would be shared to the states to utilise since the FG will no longer control it.

Essentially, the bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Cap. 23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to delete item 45 from the exclusive legislative list, grant the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly the power to make laws with respect to the creation, formation and control of Police and other Government security services in Nigeria.

ok.

Blue3k:


What are you talking about? They didnt get rid of federal police force. The bill gives states power to establush their own. Next the stste governors and local governments recieve secruity votes. They can use that to fund their opperations.

Then that is a stupid policy.

What happens when the FG police intefers with state policing?
Who wins?

Take police off federal government control completely and give the money to states to fund their police.

The federal capital territory is the only place that should have federal policing.

The NSCDC can remain under federal government control to mimic the National Guard of the United States of America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDsMJJj0f8U

Governors' demand for State Police

Its not stupid they simply take on different roles and have a few duplicate functions. Don't let hollywood films fool you i to think police forces sre always arguing about juristiction all day. Take germany and the United States as an example. The FBI handles specific cases like corruption, interstate crimes child kidnapping etc. In germany the federal police worry more about border and other sorts crime.

The day to day opperstions will be carried out by states. No the states want responsibility so the need to fund it. If they want national guard that can be formed without bill. I doubt they want to be busy bodies when they have more than enough crime on their plate.

CSTR1005:

Then that is a stupid policy.

What happens when the FG police intefers with state policing? Who wins?

Take police off federal government control completely and give the money to states to fund their police.

The federal capital territory is the only place that should have federal policing.

The NSCDC can remain under federal government control to mimic the National Guard of the United States of America.