By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi,Minna

Not less than Seventeen prominent persons were presented with meritorious awards by the Minna Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to round up the 2026 law week.

The week long press week commenced with a series of activities which include road walk, Special Juma’at prayer ,Sunday Service,public lectures among other activities.

The award and dinner night which was held at the Princes Azzara Hotel in Minna the Niger State capital,witnessed a large turn out of legal luminaries from across the country.

Among the awardees,include the Chief Judge of Niger State,Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik,the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Nasir Muazu Esq, a Lagos based legal practitioner,Chief Emeka Ozoena SAN who served as the chairman of the occasion and past chairmen of the Minna Branch of the association among others.

Speaking at the occasion Chief Emeka Ozoena SAN,commended the Minna Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and members of 2026 law week planning committee for ensuring the successful hosting of the law week.

He disclosed that the Minna Branch of the NBA,known as “ Power Bar,could best be described as one of the organized and vibrant Bar across the country due the calibre of legal practitioners that came from the branch.

He charged other branches in the country to come down to the Minna Branch to learn from their wealth of experience in how to organize themselves in order to be as vibrant as the branch.

Chief Emeka Ozoena SAN appreciated the planning committee for singled him out of many other lawyers in the country to bestowed him with the award assuring that he will continue to cherish the award and relate the branch at all times.

Speaking earlier the Chairman Minna Branch of the NBA Ishyaku Barau Esq, appreciated the executive committee members and members of the 2026 law week planning committee for ensuring the success of the law week.

He said the NBA Minna Branch will continue to leave up to its constitutional and professional responsibility in the defense of the law at all times.

Also speaking,the 2026 law week planning committee chairman Muhammad Abdukadir Waziri Esq, pointed out that the success of the week was as a result of collective team work of the members of the planning committee.

Abdukadir Waziri, who is the immediate past chairman of the NBA Minna Branch appreciated the members of the branch for reposing the confidence on him to head planning of 2026 law week.

By George Mgbeleke

A bill seeking to establish state police and transfer policing powers to subnational governments in order to strengthen internal security architecture across the federation on Thursday scaled through the second reading at the Senate.

The bill, which enjoys broad support among all senators across political divides, was referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio for further consideration and scrutiny.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele led the debate on the state police bill, highlighting the national significance of creating a state police among the dwindling power of the Nigeria Police to ensure internal stability.

Nigeria had unprecedented security challenges ranging errorism and violent extremism to banditry and mass abductions; farmer-herder conflicts; cultism and gang violence; armed robbery; pipeline vandalism and economic sabotage; communal clashes; and emerging cyber-enabled crimes.

Consequently, Nigerians had called for the establishment of state police, citing the inability of a centralised policing structure to adequately respond to the complex, evolving and localised security threats facing our communities.

In response to public demands, Bamidele sponsored the state police bill as one of the measures to strengthen internal security architecture across the federation.

Bamidele noted that the bill seeks to modernise Nigeria’s security architecture by establishing Federal and State Police structures.

He added that the new bill also defines their respective responsibilities; created State Police Service Commissions; provided oversight mechanisms; transferred policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List and strengthened cooperative federalism in security administration.

He, specifically, explained that the proposed amendment “does not weaken national unity. Rather, it strengthens the Federation by enabling each level of government to effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities.”

Bamidele, however, acknowledged that one of the major concerns often raised against State Police “is the possibility of abuse by state governments. This Bill adequately addresses those concerns through several safeguards.”

The safeguards, according to Bamidele, include establishment of State Police Service Commissions; federal oversight through the Federal Police Service Commission; uniform national policing standards and legislative confirmation of senior appointments.

He also identified strengthening constitutional procedures for removal of state commissioners of police; periodic certification and review of State Police operations; and federal intervention mechanisms in situations of complete breakdown of law and order as parts of the safeguards to prevent the abuse of state police by the state governments.

Bamidele noted that all the safeguards “are intended to create a balanced framework that combines operational autonomy with accountability and constitutional oversight.”

He, thus, argued that security “is most effective when it is local. The individuals who understand the terrain, language, culture and peculiar security dynamics of a community are often best positioned to detect criminal activities before they escalate.”

He added that the establishment of state police “will improve intelligence gathering: Local police officers are better equipped to obtain actionable intelligence from communities because they understand local languages, customs and social structures.

“Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force. State Police will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture,” the senate leader made a strong case for the establishment of a state police system.”

He further argued that state police would facilitate rapid response to security threats, saying the centralised command structure “often creates bureaucratic delays in responding to emergencies. State Police formations will possess operational flexibility to respond swiftly to security incidents within their jurisdictions.

“It will promote community policing. Effective policing requires trust between law enforcement and the public. State police will foster stronger community partnerships and improve public confidence in law enforcement institutions.

“It will also relieve pressure on the Federal Police: The Federal Police currently bears responsibility for policing the entire nation. Establishing State Police will allow the Federal Police to focus on interstate crimes; errorism; organised criminal networks; border security; cybercrime; protection of federal assets and national security operations.

“It will strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure. Nigeria operates a federal system of government. Under a true federation, powers and responsibilities should be appropriately shared among different levels of government. Most mature federations maintain sub-national police institutions alongside federal law enforcement agencies.”

He argued that several federal nations “successfully operate multi-layered policing systems,” noting that Nigeria should not remain an exception among federal systems.

He cited the case of the United States, where policing “is undertaken by federal, state, county and municipal agencies. In Canada, provinces maintain their own policing arrangements alongside federal policing institutions.

“In Australia, each state maintains its own police force while the federal government retains national policing responsibilities. In Germany, state police services operate alongside federal security agencies. As such, Nigeria should not remain an exception among federal systems,” Bamidele pointed out.

After Bamidele’s lead debate, senators, mostly from the north, spoke in favour of the establishment of state police, saying its creation would provide a lasting solution to the insecurity in the country.

In his contribution, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno expressed strong support for the proposed state police Bill, saying its passage would help address the proliferation of various vigilante groups operating across the country.

The lawmaker said the bill “will provide a legal framework for the establishment and operation of state police, enabling them to effectively discharge their responsibilities while ensuring proper regulation and accountability.”

By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

Prosecuting Counsels in the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice in Niger State,have been charged to ensure diligence and professionalism in prosecuting cases in their courts.

The prosecuting counsels have also been told to adhere strictly and comply with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA),of Niger State in their prosecution.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State,Mallam Nasir Muazu Esq gave the charge at the opening of a two day in-house training workshop for the newly deployed state counsels to prosecute cases in Magistrates courts in Niger State.

He stated that the in- house training was aimed at inculcating them the techniques in handling prosecution of cases within the Magisterial courts across the state with the withdrawal of Police prosecutors from prosecuting cases in Magistrates and Shariah courts in Niger State.

According to the Attorney General, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of Niger State has already pronounced the restriction of unqualified police officers without legal background from prosecuting in courts which informed the redeployment of state counsels to take over the prosecution of cases in our lower courts.

He explained that state counsels as trained lawyers and as legal practitioners have the professional backing to handle prosecutions in the lower courts stressing that as trained lawyers “ you have the knowledge of law to work along with the Magistrates that are your professional colleagues who is privilege to be on bench”

He disclosed that a memo has been forwarded to the executive for the appointment of fifty more state counsels to reduce the burdens of the of the deployed counsels adding that “ if approval is given more of the counsels will be deployed to some courts in Urbana areas of Bida,Borgu,Suleja and Kontagora.

The Attorney General emphasized the importance of the training workshop for the counsels that according to him will assist equipping them with the nitty gritty and the technicality in cross examination and reexamination on the contents of the police charge sheet that brought accused persons in courts.

He stressed the need for the counsel to work hands in hands with their respective Magistrates towards ensuring smooth and speedy administration of criminal justice in their court.

The Attorney General then urged them to pay due attention to the papers that will will be presented during the training “ so that you will be able handle your cases professionally”

Speaking earlier,a lead presenter in the training and facilitator of the workshop Barrister Ahmed Salihu pointed out the two days in-house training will no doubt equip them to add value for service delivery.

He called on them to make proper utilisation of the knowledge they will acquire from the workshop to ensure the speedy dispensation of Justice to the society as the minister in the temple of Justice.