By Abbanobi -Eku Onyeka
The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill to repeal the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2019 and enact the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2026, aimed at strengthening funding, training, and welfare for the Nigeria Police Force.
Leading debate on the executive bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said Nigeria faces complex and evolving security threats including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, and communal unrest. He noted that these challenges have placed enormous pressure on the police, which remains constrained by inadequate funding, obsolete equipment, poor infrastructure, insufficient training, and welfare challenges that affect morale.
Bamidele explained that while the existing Trust Fund Act was commendable, practical experience has exposed gaps in governance, funding sustainability, project execution, and accountability frameworks. The new bill proposes a comprehensive repeal and re-enactment to align with current realities and global best practices on security priorities.
According to him, the objectives include establishing a more robust, transparent, and accountable Trust Fund, ensuring predictable and sustainable funding streams, and enhancing the operational capacity and technological capability of the police. The bill also seeks to improve welfare, motivation, and professionalism of personnel while supporting modern policing strategies in line with global standards.
The proposed funding model includes one percent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account, allocated development levies under relevant tax laws, grants from federal, state, and local governments, as well as donations and international support from bilateral and multilateral partners. Private sector contributions and endowments are also provided for to reduce reliance on annual budgetary allocations.
Bamidele said the funds would be deployed to priority areas such as acquisition of modern security equipment, deployment of digital surveillance systems and forensic technology, construction and rehabilitation of police stations, and strengthening of training institutions. Other areas include enhanced intelligence gathering, emergency response during internal security crises, and improved welfare packages for officers and personnel.
Seconding the motion, Senator Abba Moro said the law requires amendment given Nigeria’s critical security situation. He stressed that inadequate funding remains a core problem for policing and argued that the time has come to confront it directly. “This is one area that we must make adequate provision for the trust fund,” Moro said.
