Senate passes police trust fund bill for second reading amid funding, constitutional concerns
The Senate on Tuesday advanced legislative efforts to reform police financing by passing the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2025, through second reading, despite sharp disagreements over its fiscal
The Senate on Tuesday advanced legislative efforts to reform police financing by passing the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2025, through second reading, despite sharp disagreements over its fiscal and constitutional implications.
Sponsored by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill seeks to repeal the 2019 Act and establish a strengthened legal and institutional framework to improve funding and operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force.
A key provision of the proposed legislation is an increase in statutory allocation to the Fund from 0.5 per cent to one per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account.
Leading debate on the floor, Bamidele described the bill as a strategic intervention to address entrenched challenges in policing, including inadequate funding, obsolete equipment, weak infrastructure, and low morale among personnel.
He argued that Nigeria’s evolving security landscape, characterised by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and cybercrime, demands a more modern and well-equipped police force.
The bill also proposes expanding funding sources beyond statutory allocations to include development levies, international grants, and private-sector contributions. It further provides for enhanced governance structures, including a multi-stakeholder board and a Project Implementation Committee to strengthen transparency and accountability.
However, the proposal drew reservations from several lawmakers.
Senator Abdul Ningi cautioned that an increase in statutory deductions could further pressure the Federation Account, potentially reducing funds available for distribution among the three tiers of government. He also raised concerns over accountability in the management of donor-driven financing.
Similarly, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo questioned the coherence of the funding framework, especially in light of ongoing debates over state policing, and urged better alignment with broader security sector reforms.
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari raised concerns over fund management, advocating a performance-based disbursement framework to ensure value for money and prevent wastage.
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In defence of the bill, Chief Whip Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno maintained that the proposal is constitutionally grounded, stressing that such funding arrangements are permissible when backed by legislation of the National Assembly.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said the bill was not solely about increasing funding but also about correcting structural deficiencies in the administration of the Trust Fund.
He assured that accountability mechanisms would be strengthened to guarantee that public funds translate into tangible improvements in policing nationwide.
After deliberations, the bill passed the second reading by voice vote and was referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for further legislative work. The committee is expected to report back within two weeks.
