The Senate yesterday passed the Police Trust Fund Bill, earlier passed by the House of Representatives.
Senators adopted the House version of the bill, concurring with all the provisions contained therein.
The draft law aimed at providing a legal framework for the management and control of the special intervention funds established under the Act for the training of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
The fund would also be utilised to enhance the skills of police personnel in order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, overall performance and constant improvement in discharging their responsibilities.
The Police Trust Fund would be used to ensure that the Nigeria Police Force has the necessary operational equipment, instructional materials, police stations and living quarters.
Speaking after the passage of the bill, Senate President Bukola Saraki said draft law would bring about “big strides towards providing and improving security and the policing in our country.
“One of the major concerns has always been the issue of funding. We believe that this bill will provide the funding needed for training and recruitment.
“I am confident that by the time we lay the report on the Police Reform Bill, we would have gone a long way in moving the police in the right direction.
“It is our view that once we have these Police Bills as laws, we will relieve the burden on the military so that it can focus on its Constitutional responsibility,” he said.
Saraki had last week told the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu Abubakar during a visit by the police chief that the National Assembly would soon pass the Police Trust Fund and the Police Reform bills.
A clean copy of the bill is expected to be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.
