Tinubu sets up Police Reform Committee

By Jon Egie with agency report

President Bola Tinubu has set up a ‘special constitutional review committee’ meant to carry out complete overhaul of the police as well as work on the gaps in Nigeria’s legal statutes from 1999 till date.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who made the announcement while speaking to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Committee has the mandate of developing ideas that would lead to reforms that would characterize a new Nigeria police force.

According to Mohammed, the President formed the 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 comprises the Minister of Police Affairs, National Security Adviser (NSA), Chairman of Police Service Commission and the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum who will work together with a view to make sure that the Nigeria Police is reformed,” Mohammed said.

“Members of the committee include Ibrahim Geidam, Minister of Police Affairs; Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA); Solomon Arase, Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC); and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF),” he added.

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who also spoke with journalists, said the creation of the Committee by the President was timely as council had observed that no meaningful reforms have taken place in the police since its creation in 1861.

“We observed that there have been no meaningful reforms since the establishment of the Nigeria police force,” Abiodun said.

“There is 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.

“The issue of funding also came up and this committee of four to five people will look at these issues that borders on reforms.”

Ripples Nigeria