THE LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY enacts as follows:

  1. Interpretation

In this Law unless the context otherwise refers—

“Commissioner” means the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State;
‘‘Officer’’ means a person working as a staff of any law or safety enforcement agency in the State;
‘‘Governor’’ means the Governor of Lagos State;
‘‘Institute’’ means Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute established under this Law;
“State” means Lagos State of Nigeria.

  1. Establishment of the Lagos State  Law Enforcement Training Institute

(1) There is established a body to be known as the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute (“referred to in this Law as “the Institute”).
(2) The Institute shall—
(a) be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal;
(b) have power to sue and be sued in its corporate name; and
(c) be capable of purchasing, acquiring, holding and disposing of movable and immovable properties.

3. Objectives of the Institute

The objectives of the Institute shall be to —
(a) promote excellence in the conduct and knowledge of law enforcement officers by delivering to them quality trainings to allow for a more transparent mode of carrying out their duties as expected;
(b) develop and uphold professional standards required by the officers to assist law enforcement agencies in the State;
(c) create measures aimed at improving the duties of the law enforcement officers in the State;
(d) provide courses of instruction, training, and set standards for law enforcement officers in the State in collaboration with the required Ministry, Department or Agency;
(e) provide quality online training and programmes for officers in various cadres;
(f) map out new training modules on upgraded technologies, to aid effective execution of their duties as well as enlighten officers of enforcement agencies on innovative ways to optimise their operations;
(g) ascertain the training needs of the officers in order to tailor the training curriculum to the challenges of the officers; and
(h) ensure that all law enforcement officers in the employment of Government organisations attend the Institute for training and re-training, at least once every year towards updating their skills in accordance with best global practices.

  1. Functions of the Institute

The Institute shall –
(a) set recruitment standards for officers to be engaged in law enforcement in the State and facilitate the implementation of those standards;
(b) prescribe training curricular, courses of study and attendant requirements for relevant employees;
(c) implement training and induction programmes for new recruits and serving officers at all levels;
(d) prescribe ethical and disciplinary standards in line with international best practices and monitor the implementation of those standards;
(e) tactically and technically equip relevant employees to perform their statutory duties optimally;
(f) encourage teamwork and inter Agency coordination and cooperation in all areas of operation;
(g) promote principles of professionalism, discipline and integrity;
(h) set promotion standards and prescribe a schedule of refresher and promotion courses for employees in relevant cadres;
(i) issue certificates of merit in respect of the various courses offered by the Institute;
(j) offer training and consultancy services to other interested persons or Agencies as may be approved; and
(k) perform such other activities as may be required for the purpose of carrying out its functions under this Law.

  1. Powers of the Institute

    The Institute shall –
    (a) establish such departments as may be necessary within the Institute;
    (b) enter into contracts or engage consultants as may be expedient;
    (c) appoint such professional and other staff as may be relevant for the performance of its functions;
    (d) seek collaboration with local and international organisations;
    (e) create and maintain an electronic register of officers who participate in the Institute’s trainings;
    (f) have the custody and control of all the property and finance of the Institute;
    (g) generally manage and supervise the affairs of the Institute;
    (h) make, amend or revoke regulations or administer the affairs of the Institute; and
    (i) determine registration, renewal and training fees to be paid by officers

  1. Director-General of the Institute

(1) There will be a Director-General who shall be the Chief Accounting Officer of the Institute who shall not be below Grade Level 15 or its equivalent in the private sector.
(2) The Director-General shall be responsible for implementing the decisions of the Institute and the day-to-day administration of the Institute.

  1. Legal Adviser to the Institute

(1) There shall be a Legal Adviser for the Institute who shall be a State Counsel of not less than ten (10) years post call experience to be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Attorney-General.
(2) The Legal Adviser shall be responsible to the Director-General in the discharge of the functions of the office and shall generally perform all duties as may be assigned by the Director-General.

  1. Staff of the Institute

(1) The Institute shall appoint such professional and other staff as may be required for the efficient performance of the duties of the Institute under this Law.
(2) Service in the Institute shall be approved service for the purposes of this Law and accordingly, the Director-General and other members of staff of the Institute shall in respect of their service in the Institute be entitled to pensions and other retirement benefits as are enjoyed by persons holding equivalent grades in the Public Service of the State.

  1. Enforcement Agency

The officers of the under-listed Agencies shall be trained by the Institute in accordance with the provisions of their enabling laws in order to perform their functions to the public effectively.
(1) Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LSNC);
(2) Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps;
(3) Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS);
(4) Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force);
(5) Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials; and
(6) Any other law enforcement agency as may be created.

  1. Compulsory Training

(1) A law enforcement officer engaged in the Public Service of the State must participate in the compulsory training organised by the Institute.
(2) The training in subsection (1) of this section shall form part of the criteria to be considered for the confirmation of employment of law enforcement officers in the State.
(3) A law enforcement officer must participate in the Institute’s training as a form of continuing education.

  1. Certificate of Merit

(1) On the successful conclusion of the training, the Institute shall issue a Certificate of Merit to the law enforcement officer who participated in any of the trainings organised by the Institute.

(2) A certificate of merit shall form part of the criteria for consideration during promotional exercise of any law enforcement officer in the State Public Service.

  1. Electronic Register

(1) The Institute shall create and maintain an electronic register of all officers in the State who participate in the Institute’s annual training.
(2) The electronic register shall contain the profile of every officer and shall be updated for each officer that participates in the required annual training of the Institute.
(3) This register may be referred to by an enforcement agency regarding information about any of its officers.

  1. Pre-Action Notice

A person or organisation that intends to sue the Institute must notify the Institute in writing at least one (1) month before being sued.

  1. Power to accept gifts

(1) The Institute may, accept grants, gifts, endowments, donations, testamentary dispositions or any other property in aid of the finances of the Institute.
(2) The Institute must keep a register of the names of donors and all donations to it.
(3) All property, monies or funds donated and received for any approved purpose will be applied and administered solely for that purpose.
(4) The Institute will not accept any gift where terms and conditions attached are inconsistent with the objectives and functions of the Institute.

  1. Funds of the Institute

(1) The funds of the Institute shall consist of —
(a) subvention from the State;
(b) income derived from investments;
(c) gifts, legacies, endowments, donations from non-governmental organisations, governmental agencies and the general public;
(d) income derived from the exercise of any function conferred or imposed on the Institute by Law; and
(e) all other monies derived from other sources and belonging to the Institute.
(2) The funds must be applied for the purpose of the Institute.

  1. Bank Accounts

The Institute must ensure that all monies received by way of gifts, donations, grants and endowments and from the general funds are paid into such bank or banks as opened by the Institute.

  1. Annual Estimates

The Institute must keep proper accounts and proper records and must prepare, for each financial year, a statement of accounts in such form as the Commissioner may direct.

  1. Audit

The Institute will as soon as possible, after the end of the financial year to which the accounts relate, cause the account to be audited by a firm of auditors selected from a list of auditors approved by the Auditor General of the State as pursuant to the Audit Law of the State.

  1. Annual Report

The Authority must submit a report of its activities during the preceding financial year which includes a copy of the audited accounts of the Authority for that year and a copy of the Auditor General’s comments on the accounts in accordance with the Audit Law of Lagos State to the Commissioner not later than 30th June in each year. A copy of the report must be sent to the Governor.

  1. Common Seal

(1) The fixing of the seal of the Institute shall be authenticated by the signature of the Director-General of the Institute or of some other member authorised generally or specially to act for that purpose.
(2) Any contract or instrument which, if made or executed by a person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be under seal shall be made or executed on behalf of the Institute by the Director-General or any person generally or specially authorised to act for that purpose.

  1. Power to make Regulations

The Commissioner shall make regulations for the Institute subject to the Regulations Approval Law and such provision will be published in the State Official Gazette.

  1. Citation and Commencement

This Law may be cited as the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute Law and will come into force on the … day of … 2021.

 

 

…………………………………
MR. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU
GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COPY OF THE BILL IS UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING TODAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2021 AND WILL GO FOR A THIRD READING BEFORE A FINAL COPY IS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS ASSENT.
THIS COPY OF THE BILL IS ONLY FOR VIEWING PURPOSES.