The Minister, Ministry of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, has expressed optimism in the 9th Assembly for a quick passage of the Bill on Police Reforms and Police Academy.
According to him, the bill will allow the country to commence global standard policing to curb insecurity.
While appreciating the leadership of the Senate and the United Kingdom’s Policy and Advocacy Centre for organising a retreat on Friday, 13th December, 2019 at Ikeja, Lagos, he enjoined all stakeholders present to seize the opportunity to perfect the two Bills before passage to the Senate for second reading.
Odutayo Oluseyi, Head of the ministry’s Press and Public Relations, said in a statement on Monday that Dingyadi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri, said the Ministry of Police Affairs was in support of the review and updating of the Police Reform Bill and Police Academy Bill.
“I strongly believe that this exercise will launch the Nigeria Police Force and indeed, the internal security machinery of the nation to global standard; such that it will be able to tackle frontally, the myriads of security challenges confronting the nation,” he was quoted as saying.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Hilaru Dauda Jika, said the purpose of the retreat was to create wider public awareness of the importance of the Bill and also engage with the leadership of the Nigerian Police, Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission and all relevant stakeholders to get their buy- in and present a robust Bill to the Senate for ease of passage.
The two-day retreat had in attendance top hierarchy of the Police Force, Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission, Non – governmental organisations with various paper presentations.