Ongoing efforts by Federal Government to improve on security of lives and property gained traction, on Wednesday, as members of the House of Representatives expressed support for the bill which seeks to provide a requisite framework for the Nigeria Police Force to cooperate with Host Communities in maintaining peace and combatting crimes, and for related matters.
The lawmakers expressed overwhelming support for the passage of the bill sponsored by Hon. Gagdi Yusuf, which also intended to repeal the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which scaled through Second Reading.
In his lead debate, Hon. Gagdi stated that Bill seeks to provide for an efficient framework for the police service and provide for peaceful cooperation between personnel of the police and their host communities.
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According to him, the proposed bill also provides for adequate welfare of the police personnel during and after their active service as well as other lacuna in the Police Act, 2004.
Hon. Gagdi stated that the operational provisions of the Police Act is still the same that was enacted in 1943 and the current times demands an amendment to be more practical, and effective to tackle the realities of preparedness to tackle banditry, kidnapping, insecurity, intelligence gathering, prevention of crime, gender discrimination, comply with the current legislative agenda and ensure the Nigeria police delivers on what is expected of it.
On his part, Hon. Bamidele Salam explained that the Bill was necessary to guard the policing system so that internal security will be effectively handled by its personnel.
He, therefore, called for deep scrutiny into the recruitment exercise into the police system so that the right personnel would form the foundation of a better policing system.
The Bill was voted on, passed for second reading and referred to the House Committee on Police Affairs for further legislative action
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