Senate Gives Kano, Oyo, Benue, Others Deadline for State Police Response

In a significant move towards decentralizing Nigeria’s law enforcement, the Senate has set a November 15 deadline for six State Houses of Assembly to officially declare their positions on the proposed constitutional amendment for the establishment of state police. According to the Tribune Online, the affected state legislatures that have yet to transmit their resolutions on the landmark bill to the National Assembly are Kano, Benue, Oyo, Ebonyi, Niger, and Plateau. The deadline was issued during a plenary session on Wednesday. The move towards state police has been a contentious issue in Nigeria, with some advocating for it as a means to address regional security concerns, while others argue it could lead to the fragmentation of the country’s security structure. It remains unclear how the various state assemblies will respond to the Senate’s deadline, but the decision could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s security landscape. The deadline comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with rising insecurity, including banditry, cattle rustling, and kidnappings in the North, and militancy in the Niger Delta region. The proposed constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the National Assembly and at least 24 state assemblies to pass. As of now, only the House of Representatives has passed the bill, with the Senate yet to take a vote.