The House of Representatives has passed for a second reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to allow for the establishment of state police.
The bill, sponsored by the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu and 14 other members, was passed by the House and referred to the House Committee on Constitution review amid fear by some members that state governors may use them as a weapon of coercion and victimization.
As the lawmakers took turns to contribute to the debate on the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday, Kalu urged them to look beyond political ambitions and think about the safety of Nigerians and Nigeria.
“We have gone beyond politics, that the needs that we have in our hands is beyond protecting our political interest. Because our fears have always been, ah! It will be used against political opponents. But what we have in our hands, which is insecurity is beyond our political ambition. So, which one should come first. The lives and properties or our political ambition. It will be self-serving to go the other way but it will be good to hear from the house”.
