NILDS Trains Legal Officers Across Security Agencies to Strengthen Oversight

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

In a major push to improve the quality and enforceability of Nigeria’s regulatory framework, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) launched a specialised lecture series to train legal officers from the armed forces, police, customs, and other enforcement agencies in the art of drafting effective subsidiary legislation.

The initiative, inaugurated Tuesday in Abuja, aims to close critical gaps in the technical drafting of regulations that support primary laws.

Subsidiary legislation, also known as delegated or secondary legislation, includes rules, orders, and regulations made by bodies or persons under powers given to them by Acts of Parliament.

Director-General of NILDS, Professor AbubakarSulaiman, said the programme represented a strategic intervention to address persistent deficiencies in Nigeria’s legal and regulatory ecosystem, where poorly drafted subsidiary legislation hampered enforcement, created legal loopholes, and triggered avoidable litigations.

Sulaiman said, “In a constitutional democracy like ours, the rule of law is not just a lofty ideal but the foundation of governance, justice, and national security.

“While Acts of Parliament establish legal mandates and policy direction, it is subsidiary legislation that provides the operational detail and clarity needed to implement those laws effectively.”

He stressed that flaws in the drafting of subsidiary legislation had over the years contributed to enforcement failures, institutional inefficiencies, and legal ambiguities.

“Deficits in technical drafting expertise too often result in vague, inconsistent, or legally defective regulations. These flaws create administrative bottlenecks and undermine public trust,” he stated.

Sulaiman said for legal officers in the armed forces and security services, mastering the art of legal drafting was no longer optional. He said it was essential for ensuring compliance with statutory mandates and upholding the credibility of their institutions.

The director-general said, “When subsidiary legislation is poorly written, it weakens enforcement mechanisms, exposes agencies to legal challenges, and can lead to miscarriages of justice.

“This training is therefore essential for enhancing institutional coherence and reinforcing democratic accountability.”

The capacity-building workshop was facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including senior legal scholars, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and experts in legislative processes, assembled by NILDS to provide participants with both theoretical frameworks and practical skills for regulatory development.

“This is not just training. It is an investment in the future of governance in Nigeria,” Sulaiman declared.

He urged participants to fully engage with the sessions and take the lessons back to their agencies.

The initiative comes at a particularly timely moment for some agencies.

For instance, Mr. Gideon Madaki, a legal officer with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), explained that the training coincided with the post-amendment phase of the Customs Act, where new subsidiary legislation is required to bring the law into full operational effect.

Madaki said, “We are among those currently drafting the implementing regulations. This training came at the perfect time.

“I expect to learn the latest techniques and legal principles that govern the drafting of clear, enforceable regulations.”

Equally speaking, Mr. Umar Ibrahim, a legal officer at the Nigerian Correctional Service, highlighted the importance of the workshop in strengthening both legal and administrative capacity within the service.

“This is a well-thought-out initiative. We need this kind of exposure to improve our ability to draft regulations that are not only legally sound but also administratively effective,” he said.

Participants were expected to undergo intensive sessions on legal drafting principles, statutory interpretation, compliance standards, and the policy underpinnings of delegated legislation.

The training was part of NILDS’ broader efforts to enhance democratic governance, rule of law, and institutional efficiency in Nigeria.

NILDS, an organ of the National Assembly, had long advocated reform of legislative processes across all arms of government.

Through the initiative, the institute said it was extending its reformist agenda to the enforcement side of the law, ensuring that legal officers responsible for implementing Nigeria’s laws are not only legally competent but also strategically equipped.

As Sulaiman stated, “This training is about more than skills; it’s about aligning our institutions with the best practices of modern governance.

“Effective subsidiary legislation is the bridge between law and justice, and we are committed to helping our institutions cross that bridge.”

With the launch of the programme, NILDS reinforced its role as a key driver in the improvement of Nigeria’s legislative and governance infrastructure, ensuring that the country’s laws are not only passed but also properly executed.