National Assembly backs state police as gunmen kill 7 cops in Abuja

The Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday declared the country’s security system a “failed architecture” and backed the call for the establishment of state police to contain the escalating killings by herdsmen across many states.

The federal lawmakers’ decision to grant the request of many prominent Nigerians including governors for state police is hinged on the continued killings in the country and the inability of the security agencies to end incessant violence and murders.

The two chambers of the National Assembly have, therefore, agreed to amend the constitution to achieve this objective.

This is coming just as seven policemen were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Abuja on Monday night.

To achieve the state police structure, the House resolved to revisit the amendment of the 1999 Constitution so that the present federal police structure would be decentralised, while the Senate has begun the process to amend the constitution to allow for the creation of state police.

Specifically, the Senate at the plenary on Tuesday mandated the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution led by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, to present an amendment bill within two weeks.

The lawmakers resolved that the bill would enjoy speedy consideration.

House declares Plateau killings genocide

Also, the House of Representatives declared the country’s security system a “failed architecture” and sought the establishment of state police to contain the escalating killings by herdsmen across many states.

Lawmakers specifically declared the recent killing of “over 215 persons” by herdsmen in Plateau State as “genocide,” saying that it was high time the Federal Government sought external help to confront the killer herdsmen.

Recall that on three previous attempts since the 2010, a proposal for state police was rejected by the National Assembly during the amendment of the constitution.

But, as the reality of the lives being taken by the herdsmen dawned on members on Tuesday, the majority of them supported a resolution to amend the constitution in a bid to accommodate state police.

The House passed the resolution after five members from Plateau State moved a motion on the “Massacre of over 2015 Persons in Plateau State.”