The House of Representatives has approved the bill seeking the establishment of state police, paving the way for the decentralisation of Nigeria’s policing system.
The Punch reported that the decision was reached after 289 lawmakers voted in support of the proposal during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The House had earlier scheduled the day’s sitting specifically for voting on the State Police Bill, amid rising concerns over killings, kidnappings, and banditry across the country in recent months.
However, the session was marked by tension after Kaduna lawmaker Bashir Zubairu raised a point of order shortly after proceedings began, arguing that members had not been given enough time to review the report prepared by the House Committee on Constitution Review.
“Mr Speaker, this document was only made available to lawmakers in the chambers, and we are yet to go through it. We cannot do justice to it because we have not gone through it,” Zubairu said.
Zubairu, a member of the African Democratic Congress, was nevertheless ruled out of order, and the House proceeded with the legislative process.
As the Speaker guided lawmakers through the clauses of the bill, repeated shouts of “Point of Order” were heard from the floor, but these were not entertained.
Before voting commenced, Abbas informed members that the electronic voting system was not functional, meaning the decision would be taken based on physical attendance.
At the end of the process, 289 of the 290 lawmakers present voted in favour of the bill, while one voted against it. The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, did not take part in the vote.
