By Haruna Salami
The Senate on Tuesday, passed a bill that fixes a single four-year tenure of Inspectors General of Police, IGP, in Nigeria.
The Senate also maintained the name, “Nigeria Police Force” as presently in use, having failed to alter the constitution, to change the name to “Nigeria Police”.
The bill was passed after it was read for the third time, having considered the report on Police ACT CAP P19 LFN 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2020 (SB.181).
The bill was presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Dauda Haliru Jika.
Similarly, the Senate also retained the aspect of appointment and removal of the IGP, provided by section 215 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) should be retained, for the same reason of failure to alter the constitution.
In the same vein, the Senate asked the Police abide and enforce the fundamental rights of persons in Police custody, which is outlined under chapter 4 of the l999 constitution (as amended), as well as other international instruments on Human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The Upper Chamber also mandated the IGP to adhere to National policing plans, which should be made with inputs from the Police Force Headquarters and all the various Police formations nationwide before the end of each financial year.
It said the plans should set out priorities, objectives, cost implications and expected outcomes of Policing for the next succeeding fiscal year in order to change budgeting from a top-down approach to a bottom-up approach.
