Security stakeholders in Lagos on Wednesday said only a well funded Nigeria police Force (NPF) would curb bail money collection from different police formations in the country.
They stated this during a one-day Civil Society Organisation/media engagement on the Nigeria Police bail process and citizens’ rights organized by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre(RULAAC) in partnership with the Nigerian Policing Program (NPP).
The stakeholders said that, although, they were not supporting the collection of bail by the police, but a situation where different police formations like the area commands, divisions have no monthly allocations to run their day to day activities, the system had indirectly legalised corruption.
Mr Ikechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of RULAAC said many people have been complaining about bail money collection by the police, while the police officers complain of police lack of funding . Nwanguma said the engagement was aimed at increasing public awareness on the NPF bail process and to clarify the rights of citizens and powers and duties of the police within the bail process under the law.
He said bail supposed to be free from any police formation, stressing that without allocation to all the Area commands, divisional police stations, corruption would be difficult to check at these levels “If we don’t address the root cause of corruption, which includes funding, welfare and equipping the force, bail is free may only be a cliche. You don’t expect DPOs, Area Commanders to use their salaries to run their stations.