34 States Endorse Bill, Katsina, Borno Say Work Ongoing

By George Okojie, Lagos; Nicholas Dekera, Abuja; Abu Nmodu, Minna; Khalid Idris Doya, Bauchi; Godwin Enna, Katsina; and Francis Okoye, Maiduguri

No fewer than 34 states had handed the State Police Bill as of yesterday, following the approval by 4 further State Houses of Assembly in Lagos, Bauchi, Niger and Sokoto of the proposed alteration to the 1999 Constitution to offer for the institution of state police companies.

The approvals deliver the variety of state assemblies which have endorsed the invoice to 34, exceeding the constitutional requirement of 24 states, or two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies, wanted for a constitutional alteration.

However, the 2 remaining states, Katsina and Borno, stated work on the invoice was nonetheless ongoing.

The states which have handed the invoice are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, Bauchi and Niger.

Katsina State Police Bill Set for Third Reading, Says Assembly PRO

The Katsina State House of Assembly is making ready to advance the proposed State Police Bill to its third studying after it handed the primary and second readings and was referred to a particular committee for scrutiny.

The Assembly’s Public (*34*) Officer, Aminu Magaji, disclosed that the invoice, which was lately handed by the National Assembly and transmitted to state Houses of Assembly, had been formally offered earlier than the Katsina legislature.

Magaji stated the invoice had handed the primary and second readings, whereas a particular committee headed by the House Leader had been constituted to look at its provisions.

“On the issue of the State Police Bill, it has been brought to the House and has gone through the first and second readings. A special committee was formed under the House Leader, and its members are working on it,” he stated.

He added that the House was at present on recess and that the Speaker was out of city.

The referral to the particular committee marks one other step within the legislative course of in the direction of establishing a authorized framework for the creation and operation of state police in Katsina State.

The committee is predicted to scrutinise the invoice and submit its findings and suggestions to the House for additional consideration. These would information subsequent deliberations by lawmakers.

The Assembly has indicated its intention to present the invoice the required legislative consideration, though the timing of its third studying and eventual passage stays topic to the House’s proceedings.

The proposed state police framework is a part of broader efforts to decentralise policing and strengthen safety responses to threats, together with banditry and different felony actions affecting communities throughout Katsina State.

Borno Assembly’s State Police Bill at Reading Stage, Says Clerk

The Clerk of the Borno State House of Assembly, Shettima Garba, has stated that the State Police Bill is at present on the studying stage earlier than the Assembly.

He defined that the invoice was nonetheless present process legislative processes and had not been handed.

“The bill is still at the reading stage. It has not been passed. Members are still deliberating on it and will subject it to all necessary legislative scrutiny, including a public hearing where necessary,” the clerk stated.