In a bold effort to meeting the United Nations stipulated standard on policing, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, for approval to recruit 155,000 new policemen in the next five years.
There has been vociferous clamour for improved security system in the country and that Nigeria is under-policed as current workforce of the police did not meet the UN recommendation of 222 police officers per 100,000.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Training and Development and Supervising (DIG) in charge of South-South geopolitical zone, Mr. Emmanuel Inyang, noted that more recruitment were in the pipeline to get enough manpower for the force.
The police boss said the hierarchy had written to President Muhammadu Buhari to give them the power to recruit about 155,000 police officers for the next five years, that is 31,000 policemen every year.
‘’We have written to the president to give us the power to recruit 31,000 police officers every year for the next five years. This is how we can achieve that standard.
“But at least, even if we cannot make the 31,000 personnel, at least, 10,000 or 15,000, we hope to get and with that, very soon we can meet the UN standards,’’ Inyang said.
He also said the police were aware that some personnel worked for up to 12 hours, stressing that the hours would be reduced to about eight hours to make policemen more effective in carrying out their duties.
Inyang said available statistics indicated that the crime rate in Bayelsa had reduced drastically. He charged officers and men of the force to shun corruption and embrace President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra.
“The basic tenet of discipline must be upheld at all times and we have also asked the CPs and AIGs under my command to pay attention to visibility policing and operation safer highways to reduce crimes maximally,” he added.
Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Amba Asuquo, said the command in a bid to secure the state had established an effective community policing programme.
“The command has by this initiative maintained a low level of crime in the state. All entry and exit points are properly manned to ensure there is no infiltration of insurgent arms and other criminal elements into the state”.
