Establishment of a police fund; a fine of N100,000 or six months imprisonment for anyone who assaults a police officer, obstructs or resists a police officer; fine of N20,000 or three months imprisonment for officers caught taking liquor or intoxicating substance while on duty; establishment of community police forum.
The lawmakers specifically argued that some of the provisions are inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.
The Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Police affairs stated that while effecting changes to the Nigeria Police Act is long over due, the bill is not consistent with the provisions of the constitution.
He stated that “Unless we amend the constitution, we can not implement the bill. The bill also proposed the reduction of the number of DIGs, are we moving forward or backward? The bill is also referring to the Police as police force which is against the constitution,”
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Lasun Yusuf while inferring that the New Police Reform Bill will “further complicate things.”
“Most of the provisions of this bill are against the constitution. This bill is complicating matters. How can we talk about consultation with the governor when the commissioners of police are not answerable to the governors,” he stated.
A legislator from Enugu State, Tobi Okechukwu disclosed that the major reform in the country’s Police Force will be the creation of State Police.
He stated that “the present structure is defective. The governors have all agreed that there is a need for state police. Judging by the crime rate, we need to consider the structure of the police. When you take an anambra man to Borno, it will take him time to adjust.”
Mohammed Monguno a member from Borno State, stated that the bill should be passed. He stated that it will make the Nigeria Police operations procedure to be at par with their counterpart all over the world. The bill was finally voted against by members when put to vote by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara
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