The Senate has begun legislative action to strengthen funding for the Nigeria Police, considering a bill that seeks to repeal and re-enact the Police Trust Fund Act to create multiple and sustainable sources of financing for the force.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, scaled second reading after extensive debate, with lawmakers agreeing on the urgent need to address longstanding funding challenges affecting police operations across the country.
Leading the debate, Bamidele said the bill aims to establish a more effective legal and institutional framework to support police funding, administration and operational efficiency. He noted that despite significant budgetary allocations over the years, the Nigeria Police continues to grapple with chronic funding deficits, which have weakened its capacity to tackle rising security threats.
The bill proposes a diversified funding structure, including one per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account, development levies under relevant tax laws, grants from federal, state and local governments, as well as donations from international partners and private sector contributions.
According to Bamidele, the move is designed to reduce reliance on annual budgetary provisions and ensure predictable funding for critical areas such as procurement of modern security equipment, deployment of digital surveillance and forensic technologies, rehabilitation of police facilities and strengthening of training institutions.
He added that the proposed framework would also improve intelligence gathering, enhance emergency response capabilities and boost welfare packages for officers.
The Senate Leader explained that while the existing Police Trust Fund Act was a commendable initiative, experience has exposed gaps in governance, funding sustainability, project execution and accountability, necessitating a comprehensive overhaul rather than piecemeal amendments.
Supporting the bill, Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, said the trust fund was originally established to address inadequate funding of the police, stressing that the situation has worsened with formations lacking modern equipment to effectively combat crimes such as kidnapping.
He lamented that officers are often outmatched by criminals, noting that inadequate resources have continued to undermine policing efforts nationwide.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jubril Barau, also backed the proposal, describing it as critical to national security and stability, while insisting that the police serve the entire federation and require adequate support to function effectively.
However, some concerns were raised during the debate. Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo warned that the proposed one per cent deduction from the Federation Account could face legal challenges, recalling that similar arrangements had previously been contested by state governments. He also queried how the funding model would align with ongoing discussions on state policing.
In his contribution, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai argued that beyond funding, the police require improved tools and operational support, pointing out that Nigeriaโs police strengthโestimated at about 300,000 personnel for over 200 million peopleโfalls short of global standards.
Following deliberations, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, put the bill to a voice vote, with the majority of lawmakers endorsing its progression.
He subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for further legislative work, directing the panel to conduct a public hearing and report back within two weeks.
Akpabio said the hearing would address key issues, including accountability for previous trust fund allocations, alternative funding options and the compatibility of the proposed framework with potential state policing structures.
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