Interagency Committee Presents Draft Police Regulations to Ministry
By Gloria Sarauniya Usman
ABUJA, NIGERIA May 20, 2024 - The Interagency Committee, comprising the Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission, and Nigeria Police Force, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has presented a draft Police Regulation to the Ministry of Police Affairs for scrutiny and approval.
The presentation was made by Kemi Okenyodo, Consultant to UNDP and Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, to the Ministry's management at its headquarters in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, represented by the Director of Planning Research and Statistics, Mrs. Margarete Azeez, stated that the Committee's objective was to facilitate a meticulous and holistic review of the draft Police Regulations before final presentation for adoption and ratification by the Honourable Minister.
According to Dr. Gwarzo, Section 138 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 empowers the Minister to make regulations on the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police, concerning the policy, organization, and administration of the Police Force.
The Permanent Secretary noted that a review of the Police Regulations has become imperative given that some aspects of its provisions have been overtaken by events, while other contemplations such as training need to be aligned with the strategic legal and policy framework on contemporary issues and realities of policing.
Kemi Okenyodo, Consultant to UNDP, pointed out that the advent of the Police Act (2020) has necessitated a consequential modification of the Allied policy and operational instruments that guide the functioning of the Nigeria Police Force, such as the Police Regulation.
She enumerated areas that need to be reviewed, including enlistment criteria, female police officers, NPF Gender Policy, Job Descriptions, Discipline, and Registers to be kept at Police Stations, and Code of conduct.
The draft Police Regulations will undergo scrutiny and approval by the Honourable Minister before its final adoption and ratification.
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