The Senate has passed a bill into law to ensure the tenure of office of the Inspector-General of Police is now a single four-year term.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the upper legislature made the decision during Tuesday plenary at the National Assembly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The lawmakers also changed the name of “Nigeria Police” to Nigeria Police Force” as presently in use in view of the failed constitution alteration attempt to amend the name.
The lawmakers passed the bill which was read the third time after the consideration of the report on Police ACT CAP P19 LFN 2004( Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2020( SB.181) was presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Dauda Haliru Jika.
The Senate noted that the bill was passed into in order to secure the tenure of a serving Inspector-General of Police and stop the battle for supremacy between the IGP and the Police Service Commission
The Upper Chamber has also approved that on the Appointment and Removal of the Inspector-General of Police, the provisions of the constitution in line with Section 2l5 of the l999 constitution (as amended) should be retained, as any proposal contrary to this provision will require constitution alteration for it to be viable.
The Senate resolved that the Police abide and enforce certain constitutional provisions, particularly fundamental rights at persons in Police custody under chapter 4 of the l999 constitution (as amended) and other international instruments on Human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory (including of provisions that reiterate the importance of fundamental human rights and advocating for their observance).
The Senate also passed that it should be made binding on the lnspector-General of Police to adhere to policing plans.
