The House of Representatives has passed a Bill seeking to establish training institutions for the Nigeria Police Force.
The proposed law titled: “A Bill for an Act to Provide the legal framework for the establishment of training institutions of the Nigeria Police Force and for Related Matters and sponsored by Julius Ihonvbere, leader of the House was read for a third time during plenary on Wednesday.
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The Bill provides legal backing for at least 18 Police training institutions established through administrative directives. Lawmakers argued that the proposed legislation would improve the operations of the institutions and ultimately enhance the capacity of police personnel for better results.
They further noted that the institutions, once backed by law, would serve as high-level centres for professional training and related activities, while also boosting the morale of police officers.
The police force has, for years, called for legislation to formally recognise its training institutions. A former Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, had previously criticised the longstanding absence of legal backing for these establishments, describing it as a significant hindrance to effective policing.
He argued that the Bill would usher in a new era of modernised training and continuous development for police personnel and other relevant agencies, with a positive impact on service delivery.
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Having scaled its third reading in the House, the Bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, and thereafter to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
