The House of Representatives on Tuesday withdrew its proposed constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, opting instead to consider a similar Executive-sponsored proposal transmitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision was announced during plenary after lawmakers gave the Executive bill its first and second readings.
The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative scrutiny.
The withdrawal effectively suspends the House’s earlier proposal, with lawmakers now shifting attention to the Executive-backed amendment as the primary legislative vehicle for the establishment of state police.
The Committee on Constitutional Review is expected to examine the provisions of the bill and make recommendations before it is returned to the House for debate and consideration.
The Executive-sponsored bill is part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to amend the Constitution and decentralise policing in Nigeria by creating state police forces. If eventually passed by the National Assembly and approved through the constitutional amendment process, the proposal is expected to reshape the country’s security architecture.
Further details on the contents of the bill are expected to emerge as the legislative process progresses.
