From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday granted final approval for the establishment of Nigeria Police Training Institutions across the country after a Bill seeking its creation passed the third reading.
The Bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulhamid Mallam Ahmed Madori (APC, Jigawa North), was first read on 26th September 2024, and then passed the second reading on 2nd October 2024.
Giving the Bill’s legislative progress, Madori, while giving his report, noted that it was subjected to extensive deliberation during the public hearing, adding that the institutions will provide holistic and specialised training in any professional field relevant to policing and law enforcement.
Some of the Bill’s objectives include:
- To train and retrain officers and other law enforcement personnel to meet global standards;
- To advance education, research, and professional development in policing and security;
- To foster leadership, moral values, and patriotism among officers;
- To align training with national and global security needs;
- To award certificates, scholarships, and recognitions for excellence;
- To collaborate with national and international bodies to enhance capacity;
- To provide specialised training for security agencies, private sector actors, and professional detectives; and
- To manage resources, facilities, and partnerships to sustain world-class standards.
Regarding the public hearing held on 30th October, Madori said that the exercise attracted the public and prominent stakeholders in the security sector, notably the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Frank Mbah.
Madori, who chairs the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, emphasised that Mbah, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, welcomed the Bill and its initiatives.
Madori emphasised that Mbah, who heads the Training and Development of the Police Headquarters, described the Bill as a timely and necessary intervention to revitalise Nigeria’s Police Training Institutions, which are currently below standard.
Many of these institutions, according to Mbah, were established decades ago but still lacked the required legal backing, which has deprived them of adequate funding and support for maintenance, development, and growth.
Summarising, Madori submitted that all stakeholders underscored the importance of the Bill, agreeing that it would transform the Nigeria Police into a more efficient, professional, and purpose-driven organisation.
Madori mentioned some problems which the Bill would address:
“The establishment of training institutions for the Nigeria Police Force will enhance the capacity of officers, making them better trained, better resourced, and well-motivated to carry out their constitutional responsibilities.”
“Many of these institutions, despite being 51-76 years old, lack legal and financial backing to enable them to function effectively, and some of these institutions are in deplorable conditions due to years of neglect.”
Madori concluded and urged the Senate to pass the Bill.
Following the presentation, the Senate moved into the Committee of the Whole for a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, after which it was passed for the third reading.
In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, commended the committee led by Senator Madori for their efforts.
Accordingly, the following institutions will be established: Police School of Intelligence, Ilorin, Kwara State; Mounted Troop, Jos, Plateau State; Mobile Training School, Gwoza, Borno State; Mobile Training School, Ila-Oragun, Osun State; Mobile Training School, Ende-Hill, Nasarawa State; K9 Training School, Bukuru-Jos, Plateau State; School of Counter-Terrorism, Nonwa-Tai-Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; Technical Operations Training School, Gombe, Gombe State; School of Communication, Kaduna, Kaduna State; School of Communication, Ikeja, Lagos State; and School of Music, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Others include: Police Driving School, Ikeja, Lagos State; Central Planning and Training Unit (CPTU), Jos, Plateau State; Police Institute of Technology, Abeokuta, Ogun State; Police Public Relations School, Abuja-FCT; Police School of Communication, Lagos State; EOD International Training School, Maiduguri, Borno State; and Police Short Service Training Institute, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.