Senate Moves to Overhaul Police Funding, Passes Nigeria Police Trust Fund Bill for Second Reading

The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to repeal the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2019 (as amended) and enact the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Bill, 2026.

The proposal was presented during plenary by the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC–Ekiti), who led debate on the general principles of the bill.

Bamidele said the legislation is aimed at strengthening the equipment, training, and welfare of the Nigeria Police Force amid rising security challenges across the country.

“The nation was confronted with complex and evolving security threats ranging from insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, robbery, cybercrime and communal unrest,” he said.

He noted that these challenges have placed significant pressure on the police, which he said continues to grapple with inadequate funding, obsolete equipment, poor infrastructure, insufficient training, and welfare concerns that negatively affect personnel morale.

According to him, the bill represents an executive-driven legislative intervention designed to address systemic shortcomings in a structured and sustainable manner.

While acknowledging that the existing Trust Fund law was a commendable initiative, Bamidele said practical implementation had revealed gaps in governance, including funding sustainability, project execution mechanisms, and transparency and accountability frameworks.

The proposed legislation, he said, seeks to establish “a more robust transparent and accountable Nigeria Police Trust Fund.”

“It will ensure predictable and sustainable funding streams and enhance the operational capacity and technological capability of the police,” he added.

“It will improve the welfare motivation and professionalism of personnel, supporting modern policing strategies in line with global standards,” Bamidele said.

The bill proposes funding sources including one per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account, development levies under relevant tax laws, government grants, international support, and contributions from the private sector and endowments.

Bamidele said: “Donations and international supports from bilateral and multilateral partners, private sector contributions and endowments are other sources.”

He explained that the diversified funding model is intended to reduce dependence on annual budgetary allocations and ensure efficient deployment to priority areas such as modern security equipment, digital surveillance systems, forensic technology, rehabilitation of police infrastructure, training and capacity building, intelligence gathering, emergency response, and welfare improvements for personnel.

Contributing to the debate, Sen. Abba Moro (PDP–Benue), who seconded the motion, said the law requires urgent amendment given the country’s worsening insecurity.

Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP–Bauchi) described the bill as a major boost to national security, stressing that it should not be treated as a ceremonial exercise.

“Mr President, when you look at number four on the submission of the Senate leader, one per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account, that’s really huge.”

He urged strict accountability in the management of the proposed fund.

Sen. Adamu Alero (APC–Kebbi) welcomed the inclusion of the organised private sector on the proposed board but warned of possible constitutional challenges.

“Before we do this, we have to get the buy-in of the local governments and the state governments,” he said.

“If you could recall even the half per cent that we approve here in the National Assembly, Governors challenged it; it took time, before the governors withdrew that suit because they said the deduction is unconstitutional.

“And it is quite clear, section 180 of the Constitution of 1999 as amended states that whatever goes into federation account is supposed to be shared based on existing allocation formula approved by the National Assembly.

“And the beneficiaries of the Federation Account are federal government, state governments and local governments.

“No agency of federal government will partake in sharing of the allocation in federation account.

“We cannot make law contrary to the provisions of the constitution, I, therefore, want us to be very cautious,”Alero said.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured lawmakers that the chamber would not pass any law inconsistent with the Constitution, noting that the bill would undergo thorough scrutiny during public hearing.

He emphasized that accountability would remain central to the management framework of the proposed fund.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for further legislative consideration and is expected to be reported back to plenary within two weeks.