Reps Approves State Community Police In Nigeria

Reps Approves State Community Police: The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish state and community police in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Abiodun Awoyele (APC-Oyo), sought to replace the nomenclature of “Nigeria Police Force” with “Nigeria Police Service”.

While moving the motion for the amendment on the floor of the house, Awoyele stated that there was urgent need for an amendment to the 1999 Constitution to allow the government establishment of a ‘State Police’ in all the States.

The lawmaker, who stated that the alteration had become necessary given the rate of insecurity in the country, argued that the move was crucial since most of the personnel would be familiar with their localities.

He said: “The police are supposed to be for the people.

“The inhabitants of various communities will see the police as part of their communities; it is necessary in effective policing.

“State and community policing are necessary because they know the terrain of the localities.’’

In his respond, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, referred the bill to the Special Committee on the 1999 Constitution Review for further legislative action.

Comments

comments