FG Considers Pocketless Police Uniforms and Roadside CCTV to Curb Corruption


In a bold move toward bolstering transparency and combating roadside corruption, recent legislative deliberations suggest the Federal Government (FG) may soon mandate pocketless police uniforms and install CCTV cameras along highways. This initiative, under consideration by the National Assembly’s Administration and Security Committee, represents an innovative approach to reducing bribery and increasing accountability among law enforcement officers.


Legislative Proposal: Deconstructing the Bill

On April 16, 2024, Citizen Digital reported that the Bribery Amendment Bill—currently under scrutiny—aims to transform anti-corruption enforcement through practical, technology-backed solutions. Among its core provisions:

Removal of pockets from the uniforms of police officers, especially traffic personnel, to limit their ability to accept or conceal bribes.

Installation of CCTV cameras along key roadway points to record interactions between officers and motorists, thereby ensuring public accountability and evidence of conduct .


Spearheaded by MP Obadiah Barongo of Bomachoge Borabu, the bill proposes adding a new section (10A) to the existing Bribery Act of 2016, targeted at systemic corruption within the National Police Service .


Why It Matters: Tackling Corruption at the Source

Corruption has long plagued traffic enforcement in Nigeria, where opportunistic extortion remains common. By designing uniforms without pockets, the government effectively removes a physical means for concealing illicit gains. Coupling this with CCTV surveillance:

1. Deters corrupt behavior: The inability to pocket money immediately disincentives roadside bribery.


2. Enhances transparency: Recorded interactions serve as impartial proof, whether of wrongdoing or routine conduct.


3. Elevates public trust in law enforcement by holding officers to programmable, verifiable standards of conduct.



The policy marks a shift from punitive rhetoric to structured deterrents—smart, evidence-based, and potentially transformational.
Global Precedents & Public Reactions

Reflecting on past measures, Ghana touted a similar policy back in 2017, aiming to curb police corruption by banning pockets in uniforms. However, the initiative drew widespread ridicule, with netizens quipping about creative ways officers might bypass the rule:

> “They gonna put it in their socks.”
“They’ll buy waistbags.” 


These reactions highlight a critical consideration: while well-intentioned, such solutions must be comprehensive and culturally informed to avoid circumvention or backlash.


Complementary Reforms: What Else Is Being Debated?

Beyond uniform redesigns and surveillance, civil society groups and oversight bodies are also demanding fiscal transparency. In May 2025, a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request regarding a ₦6 billion police uniform contract, which was reportedly split into 66 smaller segments to evade procurement laws .

Their efforts, including petitions to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), underscore a broader push for accountability—and the context in which the proposed uniform policy must be understood .


“Learn how Nigeria’s FG is pushing to remove pockets from police uniforms and install roadside CCTV to fight bribery in the National Police Service.”

Road to Implementation: What’s Next?

The proposed bill is still at the committee stage. For the initiative to become law, it must:

1. Clear the National Assembly, being passed by both chambers.


2. Receive presidential assent to be codified into law.


3. Be rolled out with practical guidelines, including uniform manufacturing standards and installation of reliable CCTV infrastructure.


4. Include public education and monitoring frameworks to ensure durability beyond initial implementation.


This potential reform symbolizes a forward-thinking approach: leveraging design and digital oversight to reduce corruption in law enforcement. If properly implemented, pocketless uniforms and CCTV could set the foundation for more comprehensive policing reforms—improving public trust and systemic integrity.

Stay tuned as the bill progresses. In upcoming posts, I’ll track legislative updates, stakeholder reactions, and comparative reforms in global policing systems.