House releases final constitution bills ahead of Thursday vote on state police proposal
The House of Representatives has released the final print of Constitution Alteration Bills ahead of a decisive plenary session on Thursday, where lawmakers will vote on establishing state police and other reforms. The bills culminate months of nationwide consultations with stakeholders across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones.
The state police proposal, one of the most contentious items, aims to create a decentralized policing framework alongside the Nigeria Police Force to address terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping. Supporters argue it will improve security responses, while critics warn of potential abuse by state governments. The bill includes constitutional safeguards, operational guidelines, and oversight mechanisms to prevent misuse.
For any amendment to proceed, it needs two-thirds majority in the House, then Senate approval, and concurrence from at least 24 of 36 state Houses of Assembly. If passed, this would be one of Nigeria's most far-reaching security reforms since return to democratic rule in 1999, potentially reshaping the country's security architecture and federal-state power dynamics.
Will you support decentralized policing as a solution to Nigeria's security challenges, or do you fear it could enable state-level abuse of power?