•Says no meaningful police reform since 1861
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In an effort to improve coordination and align human and technological resources with the goal of fortifying the Nigerian Police Force, President Bola Tinubu has set up a special committee to evaluate the inadequacies in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
Briefing State House Correspondent after the maiden Police Council meeting under President Tinubu, confirmed Kayode Egbetokun as Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, stated that the committee which consists of the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is to collaborate on a shared reform agenda to ensure comprehensive overhaul of the Nigeria Police.
He said Egbetoken’s confirmation led to extended deliberations concerning the Nigeria Police Force.
“The confirmation of the IGP prompted further discussion on the Nigeria Police Force and the President has formed a special Committee to look at all the gaps in Nigeria’s 1999 constitution with a view to bring harmony and synergy, closing technology and manpower to the Nigerian Police force.”
Also speaking on the confirmation of the IGP, Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun noted that Egbetoken’s professionalism in the Nigerian Police Force, community policing and adequate funding for the Nigerian Police Force.
Abiodun disclosed that the National Police Council observed that no meaningful reforms has taken place in the Nigerian Police force since its creation in 1861. He added that the newly set up committee would come up with ideas that would lead to reforms that will characterise the new police force.
“The newly confirmed IGP is adequately prepared, his CV is extremely rich very experience, intellectually and practically. He also addressed us as a council on the State of policing in Nigeria, amongst other things that he highlighted he spoke about the need for technology driven policing.
“The need for community-based policing, the need to ensure that required budgetary provision is provided for community-based policing which has been proven to be very effective.”
Abiodun further revealed that the IGP also addressed the Council on major Police requirements which involved technology-driven policing.
“The issue of funding also came up and this committee of four to five people will look at these issues that borders on reforms. We observed that there have been no meaningful reforms since the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force. So we believe that with the newly set up committee they will come up with ideas that would lead to reforms that will characterise the new Nigerian Police force.”
In attendant at the briefing were the Ministers of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam and Iman Suleiman Ibrahim, Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun and the Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase.