The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Egbetokun has stressed the urgent need for the Federal Government to bolster its security efforts by providing more funds and recruiting additional personnel.
Speaking at the Defence Week for the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 45 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Jos, Plateau State, the IGP called on the Government to allocate more funds to the Force and double its annual recruitment of constables from 10,000 to 20,000 personnel.
According to him, this increase is necessary to align with the United Nations (UN) recommendation for police-to-population ratio.
Presenting a paper titled “Industrialisation, Energy Security and Climate Change: The Role of the Nigerian Police Force,” he underscored the critical role of the police in addressing security challenges.
However, he lamented the current shortage of personnel within the Force, adding that inadequate funding was also responsible for the inability of the Force to effectively tackle crime and criminality in the country.
He also pointed out that the lack of modern equipment has hindered the police from effectively securing facilities that would enable industrialization in the country.
”The Nigerian Police requires an additional 190,000 personnel to be at par with the United Nations recommendation.
”Inadequate manpower has resulted in low police presence and could hinder the Federal Government’s industrialization efforts.
”Without sufficient police presence and response capabilities, industrial sites are vulnerable to criminal activities, hampering economic progress.
”As part of my recommendation for this lecture, my office will liaise with the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Minister of Police Affairs.
“I will recommend to the government the need to increase the annual intake of personnel into the force from 10,000 to 20,000, starting from 2024,” he said.
Egbetokun further called on the Federal Government to direct the Minister of Finance to provide funds for the procurement of modern crime-fighting equipment for the force.
The IGP acknowledged that the federal government had recently approved the recruitment of more police personnel across the nation, but did not disclose the number to be recruited.
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