Senator Adams Oshiomhole, lawmaker representing the Edo North senatorial district, has kicked against the creation of Police Services Commission training institutes, warning that the senate must not serve as a “rubber stamp” for duplicative institutions.
The bill, titled ‘Police Service Commission Training Institute (Establishment) Bill, 2025’, was presented during Thursday’s plenary by Yunus Akintunde, senator representing Oyo Central, on behalf of Abdulhamid Mallam-Madori, chairman of the Senate Committee on police affairs.
“That the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Police Affairs on the Police Service Commission Training Institute (Establishment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 564),” Akintunde said.
Debating on the bill at the plenary, Oshiomhole questioned the functionality of the proposed institute, especially with the presence of the Ministry of Police Affairs .
The former Edo governor urged the red chamber to be careful of creating institutions that may bring no value to the nation, stating that the house “can’t rubber-stamp everything”.
The lawmaker expressed worries over duplication of some institutions, which, according to him, oftentimes “does not exist”.
“This House can’t rubber-stamp everything. I think we have to be careful about the multiplication and duplication of institutions that will add no value whatsoever”, he said.
According to Oshiomhole, the “idea of the Police Service Commission was even abolished and they created the Ministry of Police Affairs.
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“Now you have the ministry of Police Affairs and they will train their people as civil servants then you have a police service commission to train who”?
Responding, Akintunde clarified that the PSC is a constitutionally recognised body and has not been replaced or scrapped in favour of any ministry.
“Police Service Commission is in existence. It was not cancelled to create the ministry of police affairs,” he said.
“There is quite a world of difference between the police force and the police service commission.
“This senate has passed a training institute for the Nigeria Police Force earlier this year. The one we are requesting for now is Police Service Commission Training Institute.”
Abdul Ningi, the Bauchi central senator, also intervened, cautioning that debate on the substance of the bill had come at the wrong time.
“We must be guided by our rules. This is a bill at the second reading. The argument canvassed by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, as good as they look, have gone beyond that,” he said.
“He must wait, if this bill is assented to, then he can come for amendment. We have gone beyond that. This is not up for debate.”
Ningi said the bill has gone through debates and public presentations, adding that the senate can only accept the decisions taken at the various stages.