Opposition Lawmakers Protest As Reps Pass State Police Bill
Opposition Lawmakers Protest As Reps Pass State Police Bill
By
Joshua Bilkisu Swatkasah
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of state police across the country. The executive bill, transmitted by President Bola Tinubu, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create the legal framework for state police as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria's security architecture. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said 311 lawmakers participated in the process, exceeding the two-thirds constitutional threshold required for constitutional amendments.
The bill's passage, however, sparked controversy after members of the minority caucus staged a walkout, accusing the House leadership of violating constitutional and parliamentary procedures. The lawmakers argued that the bill was passed through a voice vote without the mandatory clause-by-clause consideration and claimed they were denied the opportunity to present proposed amendments aimed at strengthening safeguards against abuse, funding, accountability and operational independence of state police.
Speaking after the protest, Minority Leader Fred Agbedi and lawmaker Dasuki Abdussamad stressed that the caucus supports the creation of state police but opposed the manner in which the bill was passed. They warned that failing to follow constitutional procedures could undermine the credibility of the National Assembly and weaken the proposed policing system, insisting that proper legislative processes are essential to ensuring an effective and accountable state police framework.
#NexviewTv#NexviewNews#NexviewUpdate#2026#BreakingNews#Politics#OppositionParty#StatePolice#HouseofReps#PresidentBolaTinubu#NationalAssembly#Nigeria

Comments
Post a Comment