By NEFISHETU YAKUBU

The Senate on Thursday approved the 2025 and 2026 budget proposals of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), amounting to N170.1 billion and N233.96 billion respectively.

Sen. Yunus Akintunde (Oyo central) presented the committee’s report to the Senate on behalf of the chairman of the committee on Police Affairs, Sen. Malam-Madori Abdulhamid (Jigawa East).

Abdulhamid urged lawmakers to approve the budgets to strengthen policing and security across the country.

The committee chairman said the budget proposal was previously approved for implementation during the 2024 fiscal year but could not commence as planned.

He attributed the delay to proposed amendments extending the Nigeria Police Trust Fund’s tenure and other circumstances, necessitating its resubmission as the 2025 budget proposal.

The Senate, during consideration, approved the 2025 budget of N170.1billion, following the committee’s recommendations.

The approved 2025 budget comprised N27.29 billion for personnel costs, N132.45 billion for capital expenditure and N10.36 billion for overhead costs.

Similarly, the Senate approved the 2026 budget proposal of N233.96 billion for the Police Trust Fund after considering the committee’s recommendations.

The 2026 appropriation allocated N222.89 billion for capital projects, N11.07 billion for recurrent expenditure, including personnel and overhead costs, to support the fund’s operations.

Speaking during the consideration, Sen. Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) noted that the Trust Fund was established to bridge critical funding gaps facing the Nigeria police force.

Ningi expressed concern that implementation challenges had prevented the effective utilisation of previously approved budgets, urging the Fund to ensure prompt execution of projects.

He said improved funding should translate into better provision of arms, uniforms, transportation, welfare and other operational needs required to enhance police performance.

Also, Sen. Mohammed Monguno (Borno North) commended the allocation of more than 90 per cent of the 2026 budget to capital expenditure.

Monguno said prioritising capital projects would strengthen policing capacity and urged other government agencies to devote greater portions of their budgets to developmental projects.

The Senate subsequently adopted the committee’s recommendations and approved both budget proposals.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urged the Fund to ensure prudent utilisation of the approved funds to improve security and combat kidnapping, banditry and terrorism.

“We hope that this sum of money being approved today will be utilised in a manner that will add more impact to the Nigeria Police Force,” Akpabio said. (NAN)

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