The speakers of Nigeria’s 36 state houses of assembly have supported the ongoing process by the national assembly to create state police.
The speakers made their resolution known in a communiqué issued at the end of the conference of speakers of state legislatures held in Abuja on Thursday.
Adebo Ogundoyin, speaker of the Oyo House of Assembly and chairman of the conference, signed the communiqué.
The speakers said state policing would check the negative trend of insecurity in the country.
“To achieve this, the Conference appeals to the National Assembly, Presidency, and other relevant stakeholders to leverage the ongoing constitution review exercise,” the communiqué reads.
The two chambers of the national assembly are working to amend some provisions of the 1999 constitution to include items such as state police.
Last month, Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), said Nigeria is not “mature” for state police.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, said President Bola Tinubu and governors have agreed on modalities for the concept.
The minister added that a series of meetings would take place to determine the workability of a decentralised police force.
