Bill seeking to establish state police passes first reading at senate

A bill seeking to establish community and state police has passed first reading at the senate.

The bill which is entitled constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (alteration) bill, 2018 (SB. 694) is sponsored by Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president.

After Nelson Ayewoh, clerk of the senate, read the bill, Ekeweramdu said the second reading would hold as soon as possible so that it could be sent to the relevant committees for further legislative action.

“This bill has been presented for the amendment of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria to make provision for state and community policing,” the deputy senate president said.

“The [ad hoc] committee [on review of the constitution] has fulfilled it’s mandate and now that the bill has been read for the first time, I am sure that as soon as possible, we will take the second reading and then probably send it through the relevant committees so that we can fast track it.”

Last week, the senate mandated the committee to put in place a process to amend the constitution to create community and state police.

This was after it considered recommendations from its security summit held earlier in the year.

On Tuesday, the upper legislative chamber passed for second reading, a bill seeking to reform the police.

Advocates of the legislation believe that state and community policing will tackle the country’s security challenges.