Kano Assembly approves state police

The Kano State House of Assembly has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow state governments to establish and operate their own police forces. The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Lawan Hussaini Dala, confirmed the approval shortly after Tuesday’s plenary.

Dala said lawmakers had considered the proposed constitutional review and voted in support of provisions for the establishment of state police. “We have approved the constitutional review for the establishment of state police at plenary today,” he said.

The approval followed deliberations on proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which seek to provide the legal framework for state governments to establish and operate police forces. During plenary, lawmakers first adopted a motion to consider the constitutional alteration bill in the Committee of the Whole.

They then examined and deliberated on clauses one to 26 of the proposed amendment before approving it. Kano’s approval forms part of the wider constitutional amendment process. The proposal must complete the remaining legal and legislative steps before it can take effect.