Council endorses reenactment of Police Trust Fund Act

—Approves removal of sunset clause, increase in Federation Account deduction

By Egena Sunday Ode

To ensure sustainable funding and long-term planning for police operations across the country, the National Council of State on Thursday approved the repeal and reenactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (NPTF) Establishment Act, 2019,
Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, explained that the Fund, created in 2019 with a renewable lifespan of six years, was designed to provide dedicated financial resources for training, retraining, logistics, equipment, infrastructure, and modernization of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said the NPTF plays a critical role in enhancing crime prevention, public safety, and emergency response capacity, as well as in supporting technology investments, welfare improvement, and accountability in policing.
Gaidam, however, noted that the six-year sunset clause in the current law limits the Fund’s capacity for long-term planning, thereby hindering sustainable support for policing needs.
Accordingly, the Council approved the removal of the sunset clause, effectively transitioning the Trust Fund into a permanent agency.
The Council also endorsed the upward review of the statutory deduction from the Federation Account to the Fund-from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent-to strengthen financial inflows for police modernization and capacity building.
The Minister added that the Council also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to incorporate these approvals into a proposed Executive Bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly.
“All these prayers were approved without any objection. These decisions will ensure sustained investment in training, equipment, welfare and technology to strengthen the Nigerian Police Force,” the Minister said.