IGP Idris And Reform Of Nigeria Police

Nigeria has about 370,000 police. Recent recruitment into the Force through the instrumentality of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, may have added another 10,000 police. Even with the recent recruitments, Nigeria is still very under-policed. It was in the realization of the few number of police relative to the nation’s ever growing population that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, last year urged the federal government to recruit additional 31,000 police officers annually over the next five years, to ensure effective policing across the country. Mr. Idris said in a message to the graduation of constables at the Police College, Kaduna, that by providing additional 155,000 police officers over the next five years, Nigeria would meet the UN policing ratio of 1:400 persons. “Currently the Nigeria Police Force is operating at a ratio of one to 600, which is far below the approved United Nations ratio,” he enthused. He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the recruitment of 10, 000 police officers in 2016 to boost the working capacity of the force. The government had earlier indicated its intention to recruit 10,000 police officers annually. The police chief, who was represented by Maiagari Dikko, a deputy inspector general of police, charged the constables to be upright, shun all temptations and intimidation and work diligently to serve the country better. The very poor population and police ratio are among the several challenges facing the Force and are hindering its operational capabilities. Other challenges include inadequate budgetary allocations; lack of equipment; inadequate operational vehicles and other logistics, etc. Added to these is the increase in criminalities such as insurgency, armed robbery, kidnapping, herders-farmers clashes, and banditry among others blamed on the growing poverty and unemployment in the country. IGP Idris inherited most of these problems and he has set out to change the narrative by making conscious and well articulated moves to reform the police. Anyone who cares to see can testify to the reform in Nigeria Police under the leadership of IGP Idris. There is a saying that you cannot give what you don’t have. The man IGP Idris is a well-known officer with a high sense of discipline, focus and gentle in the course of discharging his constitutional duty. He brought all this qualities into the Nigerian Police Force thereby creating a high sense of discipline in the force. He has succeeded in changing public perception of the police through his policies and programmes which involve training and retraining of officers and men to be up to the challenges of ridding the country of all forms of criminalities on a regular basis. I have had the privilege of interacting with public servants and heads of agencies in the different ministries and I can boldly say that the manner of courtesy I got from the men of Nigeria Police is far better than that of public servants since the emergence of Ibrahim Idris as the IGP. I have also had the privilege of meeting with some of the Assistant Inspector Generals of Police (AIGs) like that of Budget and Planning, AIG Works, CP Works, Force PRO and DCP Usman Umar, the POS to the IGP and if other heads of Departments in various offices in the country can behave like some of these officers Nigeria will be better than what it is now. As noted earlier, the poor budgetary allocation to the Police mean that the Force is facing serious financial challenges. Despite the challenges, the present leadership under IGP Idris is doing its utmost to reposition the Force through prudent use of limited resources. Nigerians are aware how IGP Idris has been working tirelessly towards ensuring the security and stability of the country. There is a saying that the job of providing security does not belong to the police or other security agencies alone; every citizen is expected to be involved in security matters because it is everybody’s business. This is so true, however there is one missing point in our analysis of national security that needs to be corrected. That is the daily vilification of the country’s security chiefs especially the Police. It is an abnormality in security matters. Every well meaning citizen of this country should pray and support our police officers and other security agencies because they are human beings likes us; they have the same lives like us, and they have families like other Nigerians. The IGP cares about the welfare of his officers and men and always ensures that they are adequately motivated. Even in death, he is there for them and the families they left behind. Recently four policemen were ambushed and killed by bandits in Jankasa village, in Rigasa area of Igabi local government area of Kaduna State. It was reported that the IGP ordered that their entitlements be paid to them without delay saying that this was to ensure that the families they left behind do not suffer. There is no doubt that IGP Idris will ever be remembered for his love and care for his officers and men because this is the first time in the history of the Nigeria Police Force that death benefits, pension and other allowances are paid to the officers and the deceased families members as at when due. This has served as a motivation for those in service to put in their best in the service of their fatherland. This is possible thanks to our dear President Muhammadu Buhari who identified and singled him out to head the Nigeria Police at this time of much security challenges in our polity. The office of IGP is not an easy one, but no one can deny that IGP Idris has given it his best. -Itodo, a social reseacher and communicator lives in Abua]]>