John Shiklam in Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has signed into law, the Kaduna State Security Trust Fund Bill, 2024. This followed the repealing of the State Security Trust Fund Law No.22, 2018.
In a statement issued yesterday in Kaduna, Mohammed Shehu, the spokesperson to the governor, said the law is “to provide money for the acquisition and deployment of security equipment, as human, material and financial resources shall be necessary for the effective functioning of all federal, state, local governments and other security agencies working in the state.”
He added that part of the funds shall be reserved for the training and retraining of security personnel.
The statement explained that: “The law established a Board of Trustees (BoT) to be known as the State Security Trust Fund Board of Trustees.
“The board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal; have power to sue and be sued in its corporate name; be capable of holding, purchasing, acquiring any property movable and immovable.”
Shehu said:“Unlike the repealed State Security Trust Fund Law 2018, the Kaduna State Security Trust Fund Law 2024 will be private sector-driven.”
According to the statement, representatives of the private sector will play a prominent role in the management of the fund.
“The private sector representatives will manage the fund in collaboration with other critical stakeholders in the security sector.
“The new law is also designed to align with global best practices. It is a model for other sub-nationals. The signing into law of this important bill, Governor Sani stated, is a clear demonstration of the state government’s commitment towards degrading terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements who have been laying siege to some communities in the state.
Shehu said further that: “The Security Trust Fund will enable the state government to support local and federal security agencies with equipment and logistics.”
He said security personnel would be trained and retrained to respond effectively to current and emerging security threats, adding that: “Funds would also be devoted to psychological operations aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the people.”
The governor appealed to corporate organisations and public-spirited individuals to donate generously to the Funds. The statement also quoted the governor as saying: “Security is everybody’s business. We must join hands to uproot the evil elements destroying our local economies and the livelihoods of our people.”
