Plateau Assembly ready to pass state police bill — Speaker

The Plateau State House of Assembly has declared its readiness to provide legislative backing for the creation of state police, saying the bill will be treated as a priority once formally presented.

Speaker of the House, Naanlong Daniel, gave the assurance in Jos on Thursday during an advocacy visit by the Plateau State Advisory Committee on State Police led by retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Habila Joshak.

“The Assembly believes state policing will contribute significantly to ending the prolonged insecurity affecting parts of Plateau State and other regions of the country,” Daniel said.

He stressed that lawmakers have long supported the idea.

Lawmakers have consistently advocated for its establishment. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for demonstrating commitment toward addressing insecurity and supporting reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture,” the Speaker stated.

Daniel assured the committee of “the legislature’s full cooperation and readiness to provide the necessary legislative support to ensure the success of the initiative.”

He further stressed that “security remains a collective responsibility and that all stakeholders must work together to achieve lasting peace across the state.”

Earlier, Joshak told the Assembly that Plateau’s “complex security challenges over the years” make state police “a vital step toward strengthening security management, improving intelligence gathering, and restoring public confidence in law enforcement.”

Joshak said the committee “is expected to serve as a reference point for other States across the federation as discussions on state policing continue nationwide.”

He noted, “The role of the State Assembly in achieving the objective cannot be overstated, stressing that lawmakers will be instrumental in providing the legal backing and careful legislative planning required for the successful implementation of the initiative.”

He urged members to support the process, emphasizing that state police would help address peculiar security concerns within communities and complement existing security structures.

Committee member, Chris Kwajah, also appealed to legislators to expedite action on the proposed legislation once presented, describing it as an opportunity to tackle persistent security challenges and address perceived gaps in the conventional policing system.

He maintained that a state police structure would enhance local intelligence gathering, improve response time to security threats, and strengthen community participation in maintaining law and order.

The committee reiterated, “The proposed state police structure would be inclusive and would serve all citizens equally, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation,” with “fairness, professionalism, and accountability” as central principles.

The Plateau State Advisory Committee on state police was constituted by Governor Caleb Mutfwang in March to facilitate implementation of state policing and provide guidance on its operational framework.

The advocacy visit forms part of ongoing consultations ahead of the formal introduction and consideration of the state police bill in the Assembly.