Rotimi Joins Presidential Committee on National Policing Bill

Professor Emmanuel Olukemi Rotimi, a historian at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, has been appointed to the Policy Advisory Committee of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill. This committee, chaired by retired Justice Mohammed Abdullahi Liman, is tasked with setting policy direction, issuing drafting instructions, and reviewing proposed legislation aimed at establishing a dual policing structure in Nigeria, which includes a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.

Rotimi specializes in Nigeria's colonial and postcolonial history, particularly the development of policing, and his research includes a master's thesis on the Native Administration Police Forces of Western Nigeria and a doctoral study tracing these forces nationwide. His 2001 book, "The Police in a Federal State: The Nigerian Experience," is a key reference in the current discussions on federal policing.

The Working Group aims to deliver an implementation-ready draft to the Federal Ministry of Justice within seven weeks, addressing issues such as funding, training, and accountability in policing.