Rivers Assembly endorses constitutional amendment on state police - Vanguard News

The Speaker Rivers state House of assembly Rt Hon Martin Amawhule, Clerk of the House and other Assembly Officials during the Screening of Former Commissioners in the State For Reappointment. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke

PORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police as part of efforts to strengthen security in Nigeria.

The resolution was adopted during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, following consideration of the constitutional amendment bill transmitted to the House by the National Assembly.

Amaewhule read a letter from the Clerk of the National Assembly before presenting the bill containing the proposed alterations to facilitate the creation of state police.

Following the presentation, the Speaker put the proposal to a vote, with the lawmakers unanimously endorsing the bill.

Amaewhule said the decision was informed by the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and support ongoing security reforms under President Bola Tinubu.

He said the bill contained 26 clauses, with 25 alterations involving substitutions to provisions of the principal Act.

According to him, the provisions proposed for alteration include Sections 84(4), 89(2), 121(3), 124(4), 109(2), 153(1), 157(2), 158(1) and 160.

“These votes and proceedings are hereby adopted as a working document of this House,” Amaewhule said.

The Speaker said the proposed amendment would provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police services, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.

He added that, if passed, the amendment would also strengthen the role of the National Assembly in prescribing national minimum standards for policing.

The Assembly is expected to formally communicate its resolution to the National Assembly through an official letter as part of the constitutional amendment process.

The proposed alteration requires approval by state Houses of Assembly across the federation before it can proceed to the next stage of the amendment process.

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