The Senate has asked its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate how N135 billion released for the reform of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) between 2010 and this year was used.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Abubakar Tutare (Taraba Central) on the level of funding and implementation of the NPF reform programme.
Besides the probe of the fund, Senate President David Mark; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba; Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and others supported the creation of state police.
The senators argued that there was no longer doubt that state police would ensure the protection of lives and property in the country.
Tutare, in his lead debate, recalled that the Federal Government, in 2010, initiated a police reform to address the lack of offices, accommodation, operational vehicles as well as communication equipment.
He said the reform was aimed at overhauling the police force and to make it “more professional, effective and efficient in the discharge of its duties with a take-off grant of N75 billion”.
The senator noted that despite the take-off grant and the N57 billion appropriated between 2011 and this year, there was “nothing to show that the reform agenda is ongoing in the Nigeria Police Force”.
Ndoma-Egba on his part noted that beside poor funding, the police were being hampered by “structural defect”.
The Senate Leader said the unhealthy situation in the Nigeria Police Force called for the creation of state police to ensure effective policing of the country.
Senator Tinubu in her remark said the Senate should avoid trivialising the security of Nigerians noting that it was obvious that Nigerians were not happy with the way the police functioned in the country.
She regretted that the studied request for creation of state police was turned down by the Senate.
Tinubu expressed her frustration about “pumping money in an old engine (Nigeria Police Force) that will not function and called on the Senate to do something about it in the interest of our country.
