By President Bola Tinubu,Tokunbo2

Copyright thesun

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

In a landmark decision aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture, the Council of State presided over by President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward revision of the statutory allocation to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account.

This development was confirmed by the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, following a crucial Police Council meeting held at the council chambers at the State House, Abuja.

Gaidam disclosed that the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, established by the Federal Government in 2019, had a renewable lifespan clause of six years. “The Nigerian police trust fund was established by the Federal Government in 2019, we say, renewable life term of six years,” he said. He explained the core objectives of the Fund: “The purpose of establishing the Nigerian police Trust Fund was to support training and retraining of police personnel. The second one is to provide financial resources to enhance police equipment, logistics and infrastructure.

“It was established also to support modernisation of the police through investments in technology, vehicles, communications and crime fighting tools. It is also to improve welfare and morale of police personnel, promote accountability, transparency and governance, and enhance crime prevention and public safety.”

The Minister lamented that the Fund’s original design contained what he termed a constraining “sunset clause,” limiting the Fund’s lifespan to six years. “The sunset clause in the current Act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and impedes long-term planning, thereby constraining sustainable police reform,” he noted.

In light of these challenges, Gaidam stated that the Council of State approved a proposal to repeal and re-enact the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, 2025, so as to remove the sunset clause and transition the Fund into a permanent agency.

He highlighted the importance of a sustainable financing mechanism and urged for a revision in the percentage allocation. “We prayed to the Council that the deduction of 0.5% from the Federation account needs to be reviewed upward to 1% of the Federation account,” he said, stressing that this increase is critical for enduring funding of police reforms.

According to the Minister, the enhanced allocation will empower the Fund “to more effectively execute its mandate in critical areas such as the training and retraining of police personnel, procurement of modern crime-fighting equipment, enhancement of welfare packages, and investment in technology-driven policing initiatives.”

He mentioned key areas of focus: “The Fund was established to advance the modernisation of the Nigeria Police Force by enhancing communication systems, upgrading surveillance capabilities, and strengthening emergency response operations.”

Gaidam also underscored the Fund’s role in promoting private sector engagement. “The NPTF fosters public spiritedness and private sector engagement, channelling contributions through individuals, corporations, and civil society into police enhancement programmes,” he said.

On the operational impact of the Fund’s interventions, he explained: “The 1 per cent allocation from the Federation Account will provide a financial buffer for critical police functions, especially during budgetary delays or constraints.” He added that the sustainable financing is essential to consolidate gains made so far in police welfare and effectiveness.

The Minister confirmed that these recommendations were unanimously approved by the Council. “The Council approved the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, 2025, to remove the sunset clause and institutionalise the Fund as a permanent agency,” he said.

Furthermore, “The Council approved the increase of statutory deduction from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account.”

Lastly, he said the Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to incorporate these approvals into the proposed Executive Bill for transmission to the National Assembly for legislative backing.