The House of Representatives has voted in favour of the establishment of state police, marking a major step toward restructuring Nigeria’s policing system.

The bill was approved on Thursday during plenary presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Out of 290 lawmakers present, 289 supported the proposal, while one voted against it.

The move follows growing concerns over insecurity across the country, including kidnappings, killings, and bandit attacks.

Before the vote, a lawmaker from Kaduna State, Bashir Zubairu, raised concerns that members received the report on the bill shortly before the session and had not had enough time to properly review it.

Despite the objection, the House proceeded with the consideration of the bill. Speaker Abbas also announced that the electronic voting system was faulty, so lawmakers voted manually based on attendance.

The decision represents a significant step toward decentralising policing in Nigeria.

(NAN)