Governors Given Authority To Appoint CPs As Senate Passes Bill Seeking To Establish State Police
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to establish state police in the country into law.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Senate President, Barrister Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the bill into law sequel to rigorous clause-by-clause consideration of the bill and after more than two-thirds of senators had voted in support of the bill.
The senate okayed the bill after considering the report of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution which was presented by steps have also been taken to steps have been taken to prevent possibleits chairman who is also the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin.
The legislation seeks to establish a state policing framework that will operate concurrently with the existing federal police system, effectively ending the exclusive control of policing by the Federal Government.
Governors are given authority to appoint heads of the state police in their respective states while steps have been taken to prevent possible abuse of power and privilege.
The bill ‘empowers state governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the state Houses of Assembly’.
Under Clause 17 of the proposed constitutional amendment, ‘while the Federal Police Service will continue to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, each State Police Service shall be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature of the state’.
Section 17(6) says ‘a governor may issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to the Commissioner of Police on matters relating to the maintenance of public safety and public order within the state’ while Section 17(7) however says ‘a state Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate or deploy force against any person, political party or group merely for criticizing the government except in accordance with the law’.
Governor Uba Sani; Governor Dapo Abiodun; Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; and President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila were at the senate chamber to witness the passage of the bill-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
