The Rivers State House of Assembly has thrown its weight behind the bill for the creation of state policing in Nigeria.
The endorsement came on Thursday during plenary when the Assembly considered a motion on the need for state police. The motion, moved by the Majority Leader, urged the National Assembly to expedite the constitutional amendment process to allow states to establish their own police forces.
Speaker of the Assembly, who presided over the session, described the creation of state police as a necessity in the face of worsening insecurity. He said the current centralized system had overstretched the Nigeria Police Force and hindered effective policing at the grassroots.
Contributing to the debate, lawmakers argued that state police would enhance community policing, improve intelligence gathering, and ensure quicker response to security threats. They cited the effectiveness of regional security outfits like Amotekun in the South-West as a justification for state policing.
The Assembly subsequently passed a resolution endorsing the constitutional amendment bill and called on other state houses of assembly to do the same. It also urged the National Assembly to ensure the bill’s speedy passage.
The bill, if passed, would transfer policing from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, enabling states to legislate on and establish their own police forces.
The Rivers Assembly’s decision adds to the growing calls for state police, which has been supported by governors, lawmakers, and various stakeholders amid rising insecurity across the country.