The Senate has explained why the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will remain under the Federal Police in the proposed new policing architecture.
According to the Senate, the FCT is different from Nigeria’s 36 states because it does not have an elected governor or a State House of Assembly and is administered directly by the Federal Government.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, explained that the FCT is headed by a minister who operates under the Federal Executive Council, unlike the states, which have elected governors responsible for their administration.
He also noted that the National Assembly performs legislative functions for the FCT because the territory does not have its own House of Assembly.
“I have heard many people raise a lot of questions on why the Federal Capital Territory is not among the plan for state police. The FCT issue is different. It is under the Federal Government,” Adaramodu said.
“Again, the FCT does not have a governor. It is run by a minister who subscribes to the Federal Executive Council. It is from this FEC that the FCT takes directives and its administrative relevance.
“So, the federal capital does not have an assembly. It is the National Assembly that legislates for the FCT. This is why it can’t be different from what the Federal Government does. Therefore, the federal police are in charge.”
The Presidency had announced that President Bola Tinubu was expected to receive the draft Executive National Policing Bill on September 3.
The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this after a meeting of the group at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila also unveiled a public information portal through which Nigerians can submit memoranda and position papers to contribute to the proposed legislation before its consideration by the President and eventual transmission to the National Assembly.
While the proposed constitutional amendment is expected to provide the legal foundation for state police, the Executive National Policing Bill will establish the operational framework for implementing the new system.
Under the constitutional amendments, State Houses of Assembly would have powers to make laws concerning the establishment, organisation, administration, funding and oversight of state police.
The framework places the primary financial responsibility for state police on state governments, while allowing for grants or other assistance from the Federal Government.
A proposed Section 216A provides that the Federal Government may provide grants or aid to state police on the recommendation of the National Police Council, subject to the approval of the National Assembly.
However, the provision does not establish a minimum federal contribution, funding formula or guaranteed revenue stream for state police.
States would therefore be expected to bear the primary cost of maintaining their police forces, while access to federal financial support would depend on recommendations from the National Police Council and approval by the National Assembly.
The National Police Council, chaired by the President and comprising senior federal and state officials, is consequently expected to play an important role in the funding relationship between state governments and the Federal Government.
According to Adaramodu, the FCT, would remain outside the arrangement under its existing constitutional structure.
With the proposed state police framework still subject to further harmonisation and legislative processes, policing in the nation’s capital is expected to remain under the Federal Government, reflecting the territory’s distinct constitutional and administrative status.