The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to repeal the existing Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act 2019 and establish a new framework to strengthen funding for the Nigeria Police Force.
The proposed legislation, titled the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Bill, 2026 (SB 1030), is designed to provide sustainable financing for police equipment, training, and welfare, while creating a revised structure for funding the Force.
Debate on the bill, which was passed through a voice vote, was heated and centred on the constitutionality of funding the police through deductions from the Federation Account.
Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo raised concerns over a proposed 0.5 per cent deduction, warning that it could be struck down by the courts, recalling that a similar arrangement had previously been invalidated following objections from state governors.
Other lawmakers, including Buhari Abdulfatai, argued that the core challenge facing the police was not just funding levels but inadequate operational tools and logistics. He noted that Nigeria’s police strength remains about 300,000 officers serving a population exceeding 200 million.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasised that while improving police funding is widely supported, all provisions must comply strictly with the Constitution.
“We make the laws; we cannot also break the laws,” he said, citing Sections 80 and 81 of the Constitution of Nigeria governing public expenditure.
In response, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno argued that the National Assembly has constitutional authority over expenditures charged to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, referencing Section 80(2).
However, Akpabio maintained that Section 81 requires such spending to be included in annual budget estimates rather than implemented as automatic deductions.
Despite the disagreements, the bill was passed for second reading and referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs.
Akpabio directed the committee to review previous Police Trust Fund expenditures and address concerns around transparency, accountability, alternative funding sources, and potential integration with ongoing discussions on state policing.
The committee is expected to report back within two weeks as legislative scrutiny continues over one of Nigeria’s key security funding reforms.
