The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has stressed the need to prioritise recruitment, training and funding of the Nigeria Police force as measures to reduce crimes in the country.
Mr. Gbajabiamila spoke at a public hearing on a bill for an act to repeal the police service act and enact the police service commission bill 2020 as well as a bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the national institute for police service.
The Speaker explained that the bills are the first attempt to institute an independent system for holding erring Police officers to account for abuse of power and related misconduct in office.
According to the Speaker, “the House made a commitment to give adequate attention to reforms that would be carried out on policing in Nigeria through relevant legislative support.
Reforming the Nigerian security architecture, with specific emphasis on our policing system and law enforcement, is one of the cardinal commitments of the 9th House of Representatives. It is a commitment against which our tenure in office will be measured.
When the time for assessment and judgment comes, we must not be found wanting. The Nigerian people deserve a Police Force that they can trust. They deserve a Police Force that acts within the limits of the law and respects the rule of law.
We will do everything in our power to meet these expectations.”
The Minister of Police Affairs, Alh Muhammad Maigari, described the proposed bills as timely especially at the time when a highly disciplined police force is needed in the country.
Alh Maigari however, observed that “a section of the draft bill has removed the powers of the President to remove the Chairman and members of the Police Service Commission leaving only the power of members to resign at their own time.”
The Minister also questioned the section of the Bill that gives responsibility for recruitment of constables into the police force and recruitment of cadets into the police academy in the hands of the Inspector General of Police.
The Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu while adopting the ministry’s position on the bill explained that a seasoned technocrat is needed to head the police service commission.
The Chairman House Committee on police affairs, Bello Usman Kumo urged the stakeholders to make meaningful contributions that would reform the Nigerian police for effective service delivery.
Mr. Yusuf Gagdi, a member from Plateau State, who also sponsored the bill said that the bills were meant to arrest the anomalies in the PSC through addressing the issue of gender disparity on the appointment of Inspector General of Police, adding that the Nigeria Police Force would be the ultimate beneficiary of the two bills.
“As long as the Bill emanate from the National Assembly, from the Nigerian people, everybody that deserve to benefit from that Bill ought to benefit and what was the wisdom in the National Assembly giving four years tenure to the Inspector General of Police? Police is the only lead security agency in the country.” Mr. Gagdi added.
Dominica Nwabufo
