IGP appeal to 9th NASS to pass police training institution bills

By Christiana Ekpa

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba has appealed to the outgoing National Assembly to expedite action and pass the Bills seeking establishment of all police training institutions in the country, to provide legal and operational framework for them.

The IGP while speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement, organised by the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs on Wednesday, said enactment of the Bills will streamline the police training to be in tune with international best practices.

He explained that the executive instruments currently before the parliament were products of the police reform committee, domiciled in the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, stressing that training was an essential part of operations of the police, and so cannot be over emphasized.

“You need training to move from one rank to another. Some need specialized training in order to function well. If you want to be in the mobile unit, you need training, and if you want be a detective, you also need training..”, he said.

Earlier, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, represented by the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, Iduma Igariwe to declare the event open, described the engagement as “a very important assignment, both for the police and Nigeria”, adding that if the legal framework is in place, it will help in better funding of the institutions.

Chairman of the Senate

Committee on Police Affairs, Haliru Jika, and his House’s counterpart, Usman Bello Kumo, in their separate remarks, pledged speedy passage of the Bills before the parliament winds down, which they said will strengthen the training institutions.

To meet up with the pace of time available, the joint committee has directed the IGP to within one week, constitute a technical committee of experts within the Force and other stakeholders, and submit its harmonised position to the panel’s secretariat.