The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has described the passage of the bill on the establishment of state police as a historic milestone, saying Nigeria has moved closer to becoming a safer, stronger and more responsive federation.

On Thursday, the House passed the bill as a major step toward decentralising the country’s policing system.

The legislation was approved during plenary after lawmakers withdrew an earlier constitutional amendment proposal on state police and adopted the Executive Bill forwarded by President Bola Tinubu.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Friday, Abbas said the decision reflected the commitment of the 10th House to undertake bold reforms capable of addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

“For decades, Nigerians asked one question: How do we take security closer to the people? Today, the House of Representatives answered with courage,” the Speaker said.

He added that the passage of the bill represented “a historic step towards reshaping Nigeria’s security architecture and bringing policing closer to the communities it serves.”

According to Abbas, the reform is not politically motivated but designed to improve public safety, intelligence gathering and emergency response across the country.

“This was never about politics. It was about protecting lives, strengthening intelligence gathering, improving response times, and giving every state a greater stake in safeguarding its people while preserving national cohesion through a complementary policing framework,” he stated.

The Speaker likened the reform to a necessary response to changing realities, saying leaders must embrace progress when circumstances demand it.

“History reminds us that when the drumbeat of change grows louder than the fear of the unknown, courageous leaders must dance to the rhythm of progress. As our elders say, the hunter who refuses to follow fresh footprints will return home with an empty bag,” Abbas said.

He commended members of the House for supporting the bill across party lines and praised President Tinubu for transmitting the Executive Bill to the National Assembly.

“I commend my distinguished colleagues for rising above partisanship to support this defining reform, and I deeply appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership in forwarding the Executive Bill that has accelerated this national conversation.

“The journey continues, but today, Nigeria moved one step closer to a safer, stronger and more responsive federation,” he added.

The passage follows the Senate’s earlier approval of its version of the legislation, bringing Nigeria closer to adopting a dual policing framework that would allow both the federal and state governments to operate separate police services.