Police Reforms: Tinubu sets up Committee to review constitutional provisions

● Says no meaningful police reforms since 1861

President Bola Tinubu has set up a special committee to evaluate the inadequacies in the 1999 Nigerian constitution that have impeded meaningful police reforms.

This, as reported, was deliberate effort to improve coordination and align human and technological resources with the goal of fortifying the Nigerian Police Force.

Briefing State House Correspondent after the maiden Police Council Meeting under President Tinubu, confirmed Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, stated that the committee which consisted 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, was to
collaborate on a shared Reforms agenda to ensure the comprehensive overhaul of the Nigeria Police.

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Mohammed 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.

“The committee comprise of the Minister of Police Affairs, NSA, Chairman of PSC and the Chairman of the NGF to work on common on reform agenda with a view to make sure that the Nigeria Police is reformed, ” he said.

Also speaking on the confirmation of the IGP, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun noted, 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 had 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 would characterize the new Nigerian Police force.

“The newly confirmed IGP is adequately prepared. His CV is extremely rich, very experienced, intellectually, and practically. He also addressed us as a council on the State of policing in Nigeria. Among 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 newly confirmed IGP also addressed the Council on major Police requirements, which involved technology-driven policing.

“The IGP also remarked on professionalism of the police canvassing that each police man must be endowed with certain qualities and they should be encouraged to maintain such qualities so that they will be professional.

“The issue of funding also came up, and this committee of 4 to 5 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”, added.

In attendant at the briefing were the Ministers of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam and Iman Sulieman 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.