Senate moves to legalise private detectives

The Senate has commenced the process to establish private detectives and investigators in the country.

A bill to this effect tagged, “Private Detectives and Investigators” has scaled through first reading. The bill is sponsored by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu).

If passed, it shall be lawful for the Minister of Interior to issue license to a person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity to act as or provide the functions of a private detective or an investigator. The private detectives would carry out functions similar to those being rendered by the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

A copy of the draft law showed that a person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity so licensed may seek and obtain information for a client relating to crimes or wrongs done or threatened against the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any State or Local Government of Nigeria.

The private investigators and detectives are to be regulated by the Minister of Interior by issuing of licenses and regulation guidelines.

“Upon application and after the applicant’s satisfactory completion of the requirements set forth in this Act and any rules or regulations made by the Minister thereto, may issue an applicant a licence to conduct business as a private detective and investigator,” it stated.

The draft law says the minister shall issue a licence to conduct business as a private detective and investigator, if satisfied that the applicant is a Nigerian, not a minor has not been convicted of an offence and has not been dismissed from the armed forces, paramilitary services, police or any law enforcement agency.

Our correspondent reports that the bill is expected to scale second reading in September.