Senate considers new bill that will decentralise the Nigeria Police Force devolving power to states and zones

LAWMAKERS in the National Assembly are considering a new bill that will decentralise the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that will create 17 additional zonal commands and allow for operations to be carried out at state and local government level.

Nigeria is currently going through an insecurity crisis with terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, rape and armed robbery occurring on a daily basis. Highly centralised with a chain of command that leads to the inspector-general of police in Abuja, the NPF finds it hard to respond to emergencies in its current format.

In a bid to make the police responsive, pro-active and effective in the face of a breakdown of internal security, the Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment is considering a proposal that will tinker with its structure. Consequently, the committee resorted to the adjustment of the structure but members failed to agree on the proposal for state police.

After a rancorous debate on the police, senators decided to push the issues to plenary for a decision. Their proposed plan will be part of the amendment and recommendations to be submitted to the senate at plenary next month after the National Assembly resumes from vacation.

Under the new arrangements, there will be additional 17 zonal commands, zonal police councils, state security advisory councils and community policing advisory councils. Zonal commands shall have operational and budgetary control over the police formations across the zones.

In what appears like semi-autonomy, the zonal commands will prepare and submit to the NPF headquarters their budgets, which the inspector-general of police  shall forward to the National Assembly for approval. In addition, the deployment of an assistant inspector-general of police to a zone and or his removal shall be subject to confirmation by the senate, meaning the inspector-general of police will be stripped of powers to remove an assistant inspector-general.

Furthermore, under the proposals, the removal of an inspector-general of police and an  assistant-inspector-general of police shall be based on two-thirds majority of the senate. Special levies and or taxes are to be introduced in the states and in the zones for the purpose of funding.