Two hundred and eighty-nine members of the 10th House of Representatives have voted in support of the State Police proposal during the consideration of Constitution Review bills.
Speaker Dr. Abbas Tajudeen disclosed this during the Committee of the Whole, which he co-chaired with the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Benjamin Kalu.
Dr. Tajudeen explained that at least 240 of the 360 members of the House were required to vote in support of the bill, which seeks to decentralise policing in the country.
He said the Security and State Policing proposals aim to establish State Police as a strategic measure to strengthen the nation’s security architecture and address prevailing security challenges more effectively.
In his lead debate, Deputy Speaker of the house and the chairman Constitution review committee Mr Benjamin Klaus, said that the primary purpose of creating the Bill is to ensure government succeeded in protect the lives and property of the citizens especially at the state and local government levels.
Mr Benjamin Kalu, however confirmed that the Bill also seeks to place the budgetary allocation of the Armed Forces on a first-line charge, with a view to ensuring timely and adequate funding for national defence and security operations.
The house has adjourned plenary session till 7th July to allow members participate in consultation at the state level as part of steps to ensure the Bill was passed smoothly at the state houses of Assemblies.
In his lead debate, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, said the primary purpose of the bill is to ensure that the government succeeds in protecting the lives and property of citizens, especially at the state and local government levels.
Mr. Kalu, however, explained that the bill also seeks to place the budgetary allocation of the Armed Forces on a first-line charge to ensure timely and adequate funding for national defence and security operations.
The House has adjourned plenary until 7 July to allow members to participate in consultations at the state level as part of efforts to ensure the bill is smoothly passed by the State Houses of Assembly.
COV/TSIBIRI
