The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has stated that insufficient manpower in the Nigeria Police Force is hampering the effective deployment of police to critical areas, saying at the moment, the Nigerian Police needs an additional 190,000 personnel to be at parity with the United Nations recommendation.
According to him, this has led to the inability of the force to deploy its men to industrial layouts and communities, thereby leading to an increase in crime, vandalism, and sabotage in critical sectors of the economy.
Presenting a paper titled “Industrialization, Energy Security, and Climate Change: Mitigation and Adoration: The Role of the Police” at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the Nigerian government said it is planning and strategizing, but there is a need for the government to increase the manpower strength of the Nigeria Police Force with a view to increasing its presence in critical areas.
“Though an increment is taking place and has improved the number of personnel in the force, This remains insufficient when compared to the one policeman to 400 citizens ratio recommended by the United Nations.
“As of now, the police-citizen ratio is one to 604 in view of the growing population; therefore, the NPF requires an additional 190,000 personnel to be at par with the UN recommendation ratio,” he said.
He mentioned that the inadequate manpower that has resulted in a low police presence could make industrial sites more vulnerable to criminal activities, thus hampering economic progress.
The Inspector-General of Police added that inadequate manpower in the police has equally led to the insufficient deployment of police to protect critical infrastructure, adding that this has contributed to an increase in the risk of attack on oil pipelines, theft of petroleum products, and illegal refining operations.
“This not only resulted in economic losses in the sector but also disruption of supply of energy resources, leading to energy shortages and instability with a negative trend on industrialization.” The presence of rubost and well-staff police is therefore vital to protecting critical energy infrastructure.
The police often operate with limited resources, including funding; these limitations limit our presence to protect our industries and the security of our energy infrastructure.”
He pointed out that Nigeria’s police might not be able to keep pace with the level of crime due to insufficient funds, adding that there is a proven record where criminals possess superior weapons than the police.
On equipment, the Inspector General of Police declared: “No fewer than 1000 armored personnel carriers and 250 000 assorted riffles with corresponding ammunition are required by the Nigeria Police Force in the aftermath of industrialization and the growth in population.
“While 2 million tear gas canisters and smoke grenade are needed, 200,000 riot gunners, smoke pistols, 1,000 tracking devices, and 774 operational drones are equally needed to enhance the capacity of the police in promoting a secured environment.”
He further added that an increase in demand for natural resources such as land can result in illegal activities such as land encroachment and theft, which are capable of stretching the capacity of the police.
The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, recommended that the federal government should straighten and intensify efforts at integrating modern technology solutions for enhanced security of critical national infrastructure.
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