Police Write Buhari, Request 155,000 New Recruits

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has formally written to President Muhammadu Buhari, asking to be granted  the approval to recruit at least 155,000 new policemen in the next five years.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Training and Development and Supervising DIG in charge of South-south, Mr. Emmanuel Inyang, who disclosed this thursday in Yenagoa, said when granted, it would take the pressure off the currently overworked officers.

Inyang stated that the request was also part of the measures to meet the United Nations standard for effective policing, noting that the police were looking forward to employing 31,000 new hands yearly.

Addressing his men at the headquarters of the Bayelsa States Police Command, the DIG who said he was in the state in continuation of his inspection tours of the commands under his watch, posited that the measure would drastically reduce the number of hours put in by the officers.

‘’We have written to the president to give us  the power to recruit 31,000 police officers every year for the next five years. This is how we can achieve that standard.

“But at least, even if we cannot make the 31,000 personnel, at least, 10,000 or 15,000, we hope to get and with that, very soon we can meet the UN standards,’’ Inyang said.

He also said the police were aware that some personnel worked for up to 12 hours, stressing that the hours would be reduced to about eight hours to make policemen more effective in carrying out their duties.

On the crime wave in the state, the DIG said available statistics indicated that the  crime rate had reduced drastically.

He charged officers and men of the force to shun corruption and embrace President Muhammadu Buhari’s change mantra.

‘’The basic tenet of discipline must be upheld at all times and we have also asked the CPs and AIGs under my command to pay attention to visibility policing and operation safer highways to reduce crimes maximally,” he added.

Inyang also said the police hierarchy had instituted housing schemes for officers and men of the organisation, noting that the scheme was receiving serious attention from the police management team.

He assured officers and men that very soon, houses would be built in all zonal headquarters and commands and sold to them at affordable prices.

The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Amba Asuquo, said the command in a bid to secure the state had established a functional community policing programme.

“The command has by this initiative maintained a low level of crime in the state. All entry and exit points are properly manned to ensure there is no infiltration of insurgent arms and other criminal elements into the state,” he said.

He also requested adequate manpower, logistics, accommodation and a befitting police headquarters in Bayelsa State.