Tinubu Approves 959 National Honours, Endorses Major Police Funding Reforms

President Tinubu has approved 959 National Honours and endorsed major police funding reforms.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed sweeping reforms to strengthen the Nigeria Police Force’s funding framework.

The approvals were made on Thursday during back-to-back meetings of the National Council of State and the Nigeria Police Council held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the sessions, Emanso Umobong, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, said Tinubu ratified the 2024–2025 National Honours Award Committee report alongside special recognitions previously conferred in early 2025.

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According to Umobong, the committee, chaired by Justice Sidi Bage, reviewed over 5,000 applications before shortlisting 824 honourees for national titles and 135 recipients for special awards—bringing the total to 959 awardees.

She noted that President Tinubu had earlier honoured global philanthropist Bill Gates for contributions to public health, Uncle Sam Pemu for journalism excellence, and the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for sporting achievements.

Others honoured posthumously include the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four for their sacrifices in environmental activism, and Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, for his decade-long contribution to Nigeria’s democratic development.

Umobong confirmed that the full list of honourees will soon be made public.

Police Trust Fund Reforms Approved

At the Police Council meeting, Tinubu approved far-reaching amendments to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) to ensure sustainable policing reforms.

Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, said the Council agreed to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, removing the six-year sunset clause that had limited the Fund’s operational lifespan.

“The sunset clause limits long-term planning and sustainable police reform,” Geidam explained.

Additionally, the Council approved an increase in the NPTF allocation from 0.5% to 1% of the Federation Account.

Geidam stated that the Attorney-General of the Federation had been directed to incorporate all resolutions into a new Executive Bill to be presented to the National Assembly.

Established in 2019, the Police Trust Fund was designed to improve police training, welfare, and logistics but has faced challenges due to tenure restrictions and limited resources.

With these reforms, the Tinubu administration aims to create a sustainable, well-funded, and modern police force capable of tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.