By Sunmola Olowookere
|
Poor renumeration, inadequate funding and lack of personnel welfare have been identified as part of the ills bedeviling the Nigeria police Force and militating against its effective policing of Nigeria and its teeming population.

These are parts of the indications which emerged at the end of a One day Consultation Forum organized by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) in collaboration with Transparency International held at the Royal birds hotel, Alagbaka, Akure on Monday, 3rd of December, 2018.

It would be recalled that there is currently a bill for review of the existing policing act of 1943 before the national assembly which has passed the second reading.

According to newspapers’ reports, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has expressed the readiness of the National Assembly to grant the bill a speedy passage.

According to the discussants at the forum, the police reform bill if passed into law will make the Nigeria Police Force work more effectively and conform with the provisions of democratic dispensation’ s requirements of humane policing.

In line with this, experts proffered ways forward in building the capacity of the police to meet with international standards while reviewing the police reform bill.

Part of the key areas worked upon were the strengths and constraints of the police, the yawning gap between it and the people and the need to build public confidence in the police force.

Other areas are illegal arrests, operating a search without a search warrant, bribery and corruption, torture and illegal detention.

Over twenty participants drawn from civil society organizations, non governmental organizations and professional bodies brainstormed on the bill and several factors affecting the Nigeria police force.

Giving an overview of the Nigeria police, the programmes manager for the civil society organization which puts the meeting together, Mr.Salaudeen Hashima expressed reservations on the state policing act should it scale through.

He wondered whether Nigeria was matured enough to have a state police without some state leaders abiding with the process.

 While speaking with newsmen in an interview, Mr. Salaudeen Hashim said the current policing act was enacted in 1943 during the colonial era.