The Senate on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria, marking a significant step in ongoing efforts to reform the country’s security architecture.
‎
‎Before the vote, lawmakers agreed to abandon the use of the Senate’s electronic voting system after the device experienced technical problems during proceedings.
‎
‎The decision followed concerns that the malfunction could prevent some senators from participating in the voting process. To ensure that every member had the opportunity to cast a vote, the chamber adopted a manual voting method.
‎
‎Under the arrangement, senators were required to stand individually, identify themselves, and publicly state their positions on the proposed state police framework.
‎
‎The motion to switch to manual voting was moved by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and received the support of the chamber.
‎
‎Following the exercise, the Senate approved the bill, paving the way for the creation of state police through constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening security and enhancing policing at the sub-national level.
‎