Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has commended the National Assembly for the passage of the State Police Bill.
The governor gave the commendation through the statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday.
The governor described the passage of the bill as a landmark legislation that seeks to establish a state policing structure that will operate concurrently with the existing federal police system in Nigeria.
According to the governor, “the passage of the bill is a courageous and timely step,” adding that he has always been a strong advocate of state policing as a necessary measure to strengthen the nation’s security architecture and enhance the protection of lives and property.
The governor said, “The House of Representatives had passed the law a few weeks ago, and the concurrence by the Senate a few days ago has confirmed the genuine intentions of national assembly members to address the problem of insecurity in the country.”
Alia further emphasised that a state policing system would work more closely with local communities, enabling faster responses to security threats due to a better understanding of local dynamics, cultures, and terrain.
The governor equally expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his visionary leadership and commitment to reforming the country’s security architecture, an issue that has remained a subject of national discourse for many years.
He assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to invest heavily in security and support every reform aimed at guaranteeing peace, safety, and prosperity for the people of Benue State and Nigerians at large.
The Senate on Wednesday passed the landmark Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, marking a major step in Nigeria’s decades-long debate over decentralising the country’s policing structure to address worsening insecurity.
The bill was approved after a clause-by-clause consideration during plenary and secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the legislation after lawmakers overwhelmingly backed the proposal following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
Under the proposed amendment, state governments would be empowered to establish and maintain police services within their jurisdictions, while the Nigeria Police Force would retain responsibility for national security matters, including terrorism, border protection and other federal offences.
The bill must still secure the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent and eventual implementation.
(The Whistler)
