IGP calls for better funding of Police

He reiterated his administration’s determination to ensure efficient, disciplined and people-friendly and well compensated security architecture.

Buhari, who spoke at the National Security Summit on Community Partnership Approach to Internal Security and Crime Management, organised by the police in Abuja, said the government would also establish a well-trained and equipped anti-terrorism and multi-agency based task force to address the challenge of insurgency in a sustainable manner.

The event will be graced by President Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Arase, inspector general of police, His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto, among other eminent Nigerians slated to deliver keynote addresses, and participate as discussants in the panel session.

The Managing Director reiterated the importance of the media in exposing and fighting crime, saying: “The media plays a key role in this process of engagement, because it helps the Police and other security agencies by publishing concerns and solutions that will impact the community”.

The president said his administration will encourage states to look at state-level community inter-acting with police under a model that will integrate members of the community to policing functions at the grassroots level.

The president urged the force to adhere to all United Nations and African Union Charters and other regional global instruments on Human Rights while also introducing Alternative Dispute Resolution procedures to policing functions.

Stating that the initiative to discourage prolonged pre-detention of citizens before proper investigation, the practice of intelligence led policing and other well-articulated projects, “if properly implemented will undoubtedly address those factors that threatened public confidence in the police”. I am tasking the police not only to “say” but to “do” as we are promising to Nigerians.

He said the strong social control the traditional institutions have on the communities would be effective in crime control, noting that Plateau State model where Christians are engaged to secure their Muslim brothers and sisters while they pray and Muslims secure the Christians while they worship, is an example of community driven crime management.

“While assuring that our administration will bequeath to this nation a reformed, re-oriented, well trained, well-equipped and highly motivated police force this dream can only be attained with the support of the citizens”.

Arase, who made the call in Abuja on Monday at a national security conference, said it was only through adequate funding that the huge logistic demand of the police can be met through public-police partnership.

According to him, the bill seeks to tax corporate entities in order to complement the Federal Government in funding the police.

He commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force for appreciating the yearnings of members of the public by ordering the dismantling of police road blocks which have consistently constituted a dark side of policing and become an object of discord between the police and the citizens of this country.

Against the backdrop of checkmating crime, and criminal tendencies among youths arising from the problems of massive unemployment in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the federal government is emplacing appropriate framework that will facilitate the employment of an extra 100, 000 Police officers.

Arase argued that if the bill is passed, the challenges facing the police when it comes to funding would have been addressed, insisting that the security challenges in the country and inadequate manpower would be best addressed through citizens-driven policing model. I trust that the outcome of this conference will add required value to policing and national security in our country, while enabling participants to build new networks that will enhance national evolution and integration.