House Of Representatives Passes State Police Bill

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the State Police Bill following a decisive vote during plenary, marking a major step in the ongoing push for security sector reform in the country.

According to Ireporter Online, 289 lawmakers supported the bill, while four members voted against it during the session. A total of 290 lawmakers were present for the day’s legislative proceedings, where voting was conducted manually after the electronic system was declared faulty.

Before the vote, the House had resolved to proceed with manual voting during consideration of key items on the agenda. The bill, which seeks to establish a state-level policing structure, remains one of the most debated security reform proposals before the National Assembly.

Tension briefly rose during deliberations when Kaduna lawmaker Bashir Zubairu raised a point of order, arguing that the document from the House Committee on Constitution Review had only been made available to members earlier in the day.

Zubairu, speaking on the floor, said lawmakers had not had sufficient time to review the proposal. However, he was ruled out of order, allowing proceedings to continue.

As the Speaker guided members through the clauses of the bill, several lawmakers were heard shouting “Point of Order,” but the presiding officer proceeded with the session.

Despite the interruptions, the House moved forward with the voting process, ultimately leading to the bill’s passage.