Over 150,000 fresh policemen needed for security, says IGP

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has disclosed that the country would require an additional 150, 000 policemen to curb the rising security challenges.

Idris made the disclosure yesterday at the opening of the 2017 National Security Summit in Abuja.He suggested that 31,000 officers and men must be recruited into the force yearly for five consecutive years to meet up with this target.

According to him: “The absence of recruitment of able-bodied Nigerians between 2011 and 2016, has left a huge gap in the manpower needs in the force. The attrition has been due to retirements, deaths and resignations.

“To bridge this gap and to attain the United Nations (UN) ratio requirement of one police officer to 400 citizens of a country, the Nigeria Police Force needs to recruit additional 155,000 officers to the force in line with the country’s population of approximately 182,000 million citizens.”

The police boss disclosed that this recommendation had been sent to the Federal Government for consideration.” Idris appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Nigeria Police Reform Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill into Law, which he said would improve the efficiency of the force.

On the issue of herdsmen, farmers clash, Idris said: “Until the people stop the high level of intolerance among themselves, communal clashes and ethnic disagreement would continue.”

Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has urged the Federal government to encourage ranching to have a lasting peace in the country.He said Benue would not cede its land for the creation of a grazing reserve.

Ortom disclosed that the state House of Assembly recently passed a bill to ban open grazing in the state.He explained that the idea was not to drive away herdsman, but to follow the standard line of animal husbandry as practised in the 21st century.

Also speaking, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi said greed, total disregard for moral values and the lack of respect for the country’s diversity was the reason for the security challenges in the country.