The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has lamented that inadequate manpower in the Nigeria Police Force is the major impediment to the effective deployment of police to critical areas.
He said that the Nigerian police needs an additional 190,000 personnel to be on par with the United Nations recommendation for proper policing of the country.
Egbetokun noted that this has led to the inability of the force to deploy its men to industrial layouts and communities, thereby leading to increased crime, vandalism, and sabotage in critical sectors of the economy.
Presenting a paper titled, “Industrialization, Energy Security, and Climate Change: The Role of the Police” to sect 45 participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the IGP said it is planning and strategizing. Still, 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.
Egbetokun pointed out 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.
He added: “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 robust and well-staff police is 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 observed 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 crennade 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.”
The IGP noted 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.
He, however, recommended that the federal government should straighten and intensify efforts at integrating modern technology solutions for enhanced security of critical national infrastructure.
