The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the Federal Government to overhaul procurement activities under the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) to strengthen police operations amid escalating security challenges nationwide.
The call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Victor Obuzor of Rivers State during plenary.
Created under the Nigeria Police Act 2019, the NPTF is mandated to fund police training, welfare, infrastructure, equipment, and logistics.
In 2025, its statutory allocation was raised from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account to boost police modernisation and internal security capacity.
Obuzor, however, expressed alarm that despite worsening insecurity ranging from terrorism and banditry to kidnapping, armed robbery, and one-chance crimes critical police equipment has remained stuck in procedural delays.
“These delays undermine the President’s directive and severely limit the Police Force’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to threats across the country,” he said.
Presiding over the session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu stressed that protecting lives and property and restoring public confidence require urgent intervention from all relevant authorities, including the NPTF.
Following debate, the House resolved to mandate the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, the Directors of Funds and the Budget Office, and the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement to immediately accelerate all procurement activities under the Fund.
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Obuzor noted that these processes include tenders, vendor evaluations, contract awards, and the acquisition of vehicles, surveillance and communication gadgets, protective gear, operational supplies, and other logistics needed for rapid deployment across police commands.
Lawmakers further directed that available equipment be distributed first to high-risk and volatile areas identified in national security assessments.
To ensure transparency, the House approved the creation of a special oversight committee comprising lawmakers, officials from the NPTF and the Ministry of Police Affairs, and accredited civil society organisations.
The committee is expected to monitor procurement implementation, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure value for money.
The House also ordered that interim logistics such as consumables, maintenance support, and rapid-deployment kits be provided immediately to sustain police operations pending full procurement delivery.
Additionally, the NPTF is required to submit a detailed action plan within 14 days outlining procurement timelines, equipment distribution, deployment strategies, and impact-assessment mechanisms. The House will conduct 90-day progress reviews and issue public updates to maintain accountability.
Lawmakers noted that despite the NPTF’s intended role, its operations have long been marred by allegations of corruption, procurement violations, and poor-quality equipment.
In 2021, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy petitioned the ICPC to investigate alleged “multi-billion-naira fraud” at the Fund, claiming that substandard bulletproof vests, helmets, and vehicles worth about N11 billion were procured without proper oversight or Board approval, contrary to the NPTF Act.
