The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to repeal the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2019 and establish a new legal framework to strengthen funding for the Nigeria Police Force.
The proposed legislation, the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Bill, 2026 (SB 1030), is designed to provide more sustainable financing for police operations, including training, equipment, and welfare, while also restructuring how funds for the Force are managed.
However, debate on the floor was intense, with lawmakers divided over the constitutionality of funding the Trust Fund through deductions from the Federation Account.
Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo raised strong concerns over a proposed 0.5 per cent deduction, warning that it could be struck down if challenged in court. He referenced past disputes where similar funding arrangements were invalidated following objections from state governors.
He also questioned how the proposed funding structure would align with ongoing national discussions on the possible creation of state police.
Other senators, including Buhari Abdulfatai, shifted focus to operational realities, arguing that the main challenge facing the police was not just funding but the lack of adequate tools and resources. He noted that Nigeria’s police-to-population ratio remains low, with about 300,000 officers serving over 200 million citizens.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasised the need to ensure that any funding model complies strictly with constitutional provisions.
“We make the laws; we cannot also break the laws. The Constitution of Nigeria is the ground norm,” he said, urging lawmakers to carefully examine Sections 80 and 81, which govern public expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
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While Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno argued that the National Assembly has the authority to legislate spending from the fund, Akpabio maintained that such expenditures must be properly reflected in the annual budget rather than imposed through direct statutory deductions.
After deliberations, the bill scaled second reading through a voice vote, with the “Ayes” prevailing.
Akpabio noted that a public hearing would be crucial in addressing key concerns, including transparency in the use of previous Trust Fund allocations, possible alternative funding sources, and how the proposed law would interact with ongoing debates around state policing.
The bill has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, which is expected to report back within two weeks after further review and stakeholder consultations.
