JUST-IN: Reps Pass State Police Bill To Tackle Insecurity

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

CityMirrorNews reports that the resolution followed the voting by 289 lawmakers in favour of state police during the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.

The House had earlier announced Thursday’s plenary to vote on the State Police Bill following the spike in killings, kidnappings, and banditry in the past few months.

Shortly after the lawmakers settled down for the business of the day, Kaduna lawmaker, Bashir Zubairu, moved a point of order, explaining that the document on the proposed state police put together by the House Committee on Constitution Review got to the lawmakers only on Thursday afternoon.

Recognised to speak by the speaker, Zubairu said, “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, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was ruled out of order, allowing the process to proceed.

While the Speaker took members through the clauses, voices shouting “Point of Order” could be heard, but the presiding officer ignored them.

Before the voting began, Abbas announced that the electronic voting system was faulty, noting that the exercise would be conducted based on attendance.

Out of the 290 members in attendance, 289 voted in favour of state police while one voted against. The Speaker abstained from voting.