Don’t Be Complacent, Buhari Urges Police As He Promises More Funding

President Muhammadu Buhari assured the Nigeria Police Force of more funding for effective operation.

The President gave the assurance when he commissioned operational police vehicles, the Nigeria Police Force Crime and Incident Database Centre, and the Nigeria Police National Command and Control Centre at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

While admitting that he was conscious of the funding limitations of the Force and its threat to the optimal delivery of police services for the citizens, Buhari pledged that the Federal Government would continue to enhance funding as well as work towards meeting their manpower requirements and welfare needs.

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Buhari, who noted that the security of lives and property is a constitutional right and priority for his administration, said the police is central to achieving this obligation.

He, therefore, pointed that the police has keyed into the Federal Government’s Next Level agenda to strengthen institutional capacity towards addressing internal security challenges and advancing his vision of a highly equipped and modernized police Force and lauded the efforts of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to guarantee efficiency in the Force despite limited resources.

“I am particularly impressed by the technology-led, intelligence-driven models which he has combined to bring about the stabilization of security situation in the country,” Buhari said.

The president, who admitted that the IGP inherited an internal security situation that was with the rife with the activities of bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and other highly organized criminals in some parts of the country further said the nature of these crimes affected public confidence in the capacity of the police to protect them.

He, however, expressed confidence that with the strategies put in place and the quality of the leadership being provided, the present police force would check the problems and restore confidence.

While lauding the police for their many breakthroughs and recoveries across the country in several intelligence-led and well-coordinated police operations, as well as their great strides in peacekeeping functions on other parts of the world, Buhari urged the police should avoid complacency in the efforts towards ridding the country of crimes.

Speaking on his vision to bequeathing to the nation a legacy of a reformed, modernized, fully equipped, highly motivated and seasoned Police Force with values of professionalism, respect for rule of law, due process and best international practices in their operations, he said that made approve the readjustment of police emoluments, as well as the recruitment of 10, 000 police personnel on an annual basis to motivate and enhance the manpower of the force.

“It is also in this regard that I assented to the Police Trust Fund Bill to act as a public, private funding framework that would address funding shortages of the police on a sustainable basis.

“The IGP said the equipment acquired were done with limited resources to the Force, and it is commendable and illustrates the capacity to manage limited resources available to the force efficiently.

“The take-off of the Police Trust Fund would further assist in meeting your operational and logistic requirements. To give immediate effect to the Police Trust Fund Act, I have directed the Minister of Police Affairs to fast track the processes of its take-off,” he added.

He also charged the leadership of the police to continue to give orientation to officers of the force so they can appreciate their virtues of policing within the dictates of the law to ensure the institution regains confidence and respect from Nigerians.

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“We must take cognizance of the fact that in discharging your duties, you should not only be judged by the number of crimes you have stopped or convictions secured but also the extent to which the process of achieving your statutory mandate conforms to professional and legal standards,” Buhari said.