President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set up a special committee to assess the lapses in the 1999 Constitution holding back the Nigeria Police Force.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Police Council meeting chaired by the president in Abuja, Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed said the committee would look at how to enhance coordination and align technology and manpower resources towards strengthening the NPF.
“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 to bring harmony and synergy, closing technology and manpower to the Nigerian Police Force.
“The committee includes the Minister of Police Affairs, NSA, Chairman of PSC, and the Chairman of the NGF to work on a common reform agenda to make sure that the Nigeria Police is reformed,” he said.
Also speaking, Ogun state Governor Dapo Abiodun said the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetoken, briefed the council on professionalism in the Police, community policing and adequate funding for the Nigerian Police Force.
He said the Police Council observed that no meaningful reforms had taken place in the Force since its creation in 1861.
He said the committee set up by President Tinubu 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, 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 said.
The Ogun state governor further stated that the newly confirmed IGP also addressed the Council on major Police requirements which involved technology-driven policing.
“The IGP also remarked on the professionalism of the police canvassing that each police man will have endowed certain qualities, and they should be encouraged to follow those qualities so that they will be professional.
“The issue of funding also came up and this committee of 4-5 will look at these issues that border 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,” Abiodun further added.
