The House of Representatives said Wednesday it will vote Thursday on a constitutional amendment to allow State Police, intensifying a long-running national debate over how to respond to rising violence across the country.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, speaking on behalf of 37 caucus leaders, told reporters in Abuja that the measure was necessary to address “growing incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.”
He described the amendment as a legislative step beyond oversight hearings—arguing lawmakers must rewrite parts of the constitution to improve security response times.
“We have discovered that leaving the law as it is will not give us the expected results Nigerians desire,” Kalu said.
He identified Section 214 and related provisions of the constitution as inadequate to support a decentralized policing model and said the National Assembly has a responsibility to enact laws that strengthen the country’s security architecture.
Deputy Speaker Kalu said consultations on the proposal have been extensive and that the Inspector‑General of Police, the executive branch and all 36 state governors have voiced support.
He dismissed reports of efforts to block the bill, saying the House remained united and that “hope for better response time to incidents of crime is here.”
NewsQuest reports that if approved by the National Assembly, the amendment would require ratification by a majority of state legislatures before being submitted to the President for assent.
Kalu expressed confidence that governors who back the proposal would urge quick approvals by their Houses of Assembly.
The Deputy Speaker urged members on oversight missions to return to Abuja for Thursday’s plenary, calling the vote a matter of “urgent national importance” and urging a full chamber to demonstrate the legislature’s commitment to security reform.
