The Presidency says public submissions on the proposed National Policing Bill, which provides a framework for state police, will close at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, urged Nigerians to submit their views before the deadline.
Gbajabiamila said the consultation would help address concerns over political interference, police misconduct, oversight and intelligence-sharing between federal and state police services.
He said the proposed framework must prevent governors from using state police against political opponents, protesters, journalists and minority communities.
According to him, state police could bring policing closer to communities, but officers must remain subject to the Constitution, human rights and the rule of law.
Gbajabiamila said the Bill would set national standards for recruitment, training, remuneration, equipment, discipline, use of force and independent oversight.
He stressed that state police would not be established immediately even if the proposed constitutional amendment and National Policing Bill are passed.
The former House of Representatives speaker explained that each state would still need to enact its own enabling law, establish the necessary institutions and provide funding before operating a state police service.
He added that states that do not establish their own police service would continue to be served by the Nigeria Police Force.
Gbajabiamila also noted that the proposed state police system would require constitutional amendment, with the process still subject to approval by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly.
Comments
Add a comment