Reps and move for fresh police reforms

Insecurity has remained a dangerous threat to Nigeria’s existence over the years, with efforts at addressing the same seemingly defying all manner of possible solutions. Will the new moves by the House of Representatives to inject fresh reforms into the police yield the needed results? JOSHUA EGBODO writes

The Bills

The fresh reform proposals were “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Service Commission Act and Enact the Police Service Commission Bill, 2020 (with the intent) to strengthen the Commission to be more Functional in its Operations, and for Related Matters”, and “A Bill for an Act to Provide for Establishment of the National Institute for Police Studies, to Provide for Administration and Management of the Institute and Determining the Standard of Knowledge and Skills to be Acquired by the Personnel of the Institute, and for Related Matters”.

Gbajabiamila on the need for more reforms

A bill introduced earlier and passed by the current House of Representatives enjoyed the concurrence of the Senate, and subsequently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, with certain reforms introduced into the nation’s policing system. However, speaking during a public hearing on the fresh proposals for additional reforms, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila reiterated the need for such.

According to the speaker, Nigerians deserve a police force which they can beat their chests in trust. Beyond the police force this time, one of the bills focused extensively on the Police Service Commission (PSC). Gbajabiamila insisted that a trusted police force working within the limits of the law is what Nigerians deserved, and same was what the House under his leadership wanted to bequeath the people.

The speaker said the House made a commitment to give adequate attention to reforms that would be carried out on policing in Nigeria through relevant legislative support. It was a reassuring statement, and recap of the House’s position in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests that almost brought the nation down on its knees over police brutality.

“Reforming the Nigerian security architecture, with specific emphasis on our policing system and law enforcement, is one of the cardinal commitments of the 9th  House of Representatives. It is a commitment against which our tenure in office will be measured.

“When the time for assessment and judgment comes, we must not be found wanting. The Nigerian people deserve a Police Force that they can trust. They deserve a Police Force that acts within the limits of the law and respects the rule of law. We will do everything in our power to meet these expectations”, he noted.

According to the speaker, aside from statutory reforms, there were other urgent areas of intervention to make the police force function better, including recruitment, training, funding and operational priorities. “These issues are the responsibility of the Police Force administration and the executive. Nonetheless, the 9th House of Representatives will be part of those conversations around effecting changes in this regard, and we will do our utmost to ensure that everything that ought to be done is done and done right”, the speaker added.

Specifically on the Police Service Commission (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2020, Gbajabiamila explained that it was the first attempt to institute an independent system for holding errant police officers to account for abuses of power and related misconduct in office, as he acknowledged the fact that not all police personnel were bad, describing a “good majority” of them as “upstanding and professional”.

However, he said one rotten egg could ruin the basket, a reason the House stepped in with the reform bill with the aim of weeding out “the few bad eggs in the police force.”

The speaker told the session that among others, the bill proposed changes to the composition of the Police Service Commission (PSC), “reorganising the Commission to be public-facing and able to receive and investigate complaints against Police Officers” as well as “increasing the minimum requirement for recruitment into the constabulary and allow for the recruitment of more qualified candidates into the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).”

Gbajabiamila urged the stakeholders to seize the opportunity of the public hearing to make objective submissions that would help to restore faith in Nigeria’s security institutions and reassure the people that the government was still capable of protecting their lives and property. 

Minister’s concerns

As expected, the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi expressed some concerns over certain provisions in the proposals. He said one of such was what was contained in section 5 of the draft Bill, where the power of Mr. President to remove the Chairman and members of the PSC “has to some extent been deleted, leaving only the power of members to resign at their own time”, adding that since the Chairman and Members the PSC are appointed by Mr. President, “whoever has the power to appoint should naturally have the power to remove”.

The police personnel recruitment power, currently a subject of litigation between the PSC and Inspector General of Police (IGP) was another issue pointed out by the Minister. He said it specifically states that the responsibility for recruitment of Constables into the Police Force and recruitment of Cadets into the Police Academy shall be that of the Inspector General of Police. I believe Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members are aware of the controversial nature of this issue and I will like to suggest that since the matter is currently pending at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, it may not be wise to make into law at this stage. It will appear to be preempting the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter. I’m therefore suggesting that we should leave the matter for now as it is, while we await the decision of the Supreme Court”, he said amongst other concerns.

Sponsor’s justification

Sponsor of the bills, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, from Plateau State rose in defence of the proposals, explaining that there were key provisions in the proposed laws, which will address the issue of tenure of police IG, as well as gender discrimination in some aspects of the existing Police Act. “We need Police reforms; from 1999 to date, we have about 11- 12 IGs, some serve for seven months, some one year, how can you reform the institution when you have the person to oversee that institution serve only seven months?

“The initiatives of the other person will be thrown away. He will start his police reform differently and that is why Nigerians, through the National Assembly allocate a tenure of office (Four years) to the IG so that he will have the time to carry out reforms”, he said.

The lawmaker also argued that there were issues of gender bias in the former Police Act where a woman can’t rise to the position of Commissioner of Police let alone attending the position of the Inspector General of Police. “In terms of recruitment, the restriction of women is quite obvious”, he said.

CSOs oppose retired IGPs as heads of PSC

A new twist was added to inputs into provisions of the bills, when on the second day of the public hearing, a group of civil society organizations insisted on a stoppage to the appointment of retired IGPs to head the PSC. 

They said the commission should remain a civilian oversight body of the police, with enormous powers and funds to check the excesses of the force, adding that the PSC should also be strengthened to discipline erring personnel.

Achieving the desired reforms

With the plethora of suggestions from various stakeholders last week, the House of Representatives committee on police Affairs, headed by Hon. Usman Kumo has been handed the challenge of filtering the submissions, and presented a report that will enjoy the adoption of the larger house. It is also the expectations of many Nigerians that the outcome provides the much needed reforms in the police.

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