The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has reiterated the call for more funding of the police to enable it carry out its mandate of tackling the growing internal security challenges in the country.
He made the call when he visited the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila on Wednesday.
The IGP who was quoted in a statement by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi said his visit was to thank Gbajabiamila and the House for the support the police had received from the 9th Assembly.
He said he was particularly appreciative of the “timely passage” of the 2020 Police Act, to modernise police operations in the country.
He appealed for the speedy passage of other bills on police matters such as the Police Service Commission (amendment) Bill.
Baba said that the force is functioning with clearly inadequate funds adding that, the police will work more with better support from the legislature.
“In the area of funding, we appeal that you support us more because we are underfunded. We are now miracle players, compared to what we have.
“In the area of funds for operations, this is highly inadequate, looking at the many interventions that we must do from time-to-time”, the IGP stated.
On his part, the Speaker said Nigeria needs to work on the dignity and well-being of its police force which he said will make its personnel succeed in the core mandate of preventing and fighting crime.
He said, a policeman, being the face of the law, his appearance in the community must first command respect for him to effectively enforce the law.
Gbajabiamila added that the image of the policeman looking unkempt on the streets sent the wrong signals to the citizens about his ability to enforce the law.
The Speaker informed the IGP that unlike the case in some countries, the Nigerian policeman did not have adequate equipment to work and was not well-catered for.
“We need to know that police work has a lot to do with psychology. Why are policemen looking tattered on the streets? They wear dirty, torn uniforms and you see them in slippers.
“So, people don’t even respect them or feel intimidated by their presence when they need to enforce the law.
“In other countries, the sight of a policeman and the gadgets he carries alone, prevent crime from happening. There is immediate recognition from the appearance of a policeman,” he said.
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