Political Briefs
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THE police require N12.7 billion to effectively fight insurgency and rebuild the 56 police stations, formations and facilities destroyed by Boko Haram in the North-East. Solomon Arase, inspector-general of Police, IGP, said on Thursday, November 26, during an interactive session with the House Committee on Police Affairs, led by Haliru Jika, in Abuja.
Giving a breakdown, Arase said N8.7 billion would be required to checkmate the Boko Haram insurgency and N4 billion to rebuild the 56 destroyed police stations, formations and facilities.
His words: “Fifty-six police stations, formations and facilities have been destroyed by insurgents. The present devastative situation has greatly impaired us as it constitutes a major challenge to the capacity of the police within the formations. We need about four billion to put those things back in shape.”
According to him, the destruction of the facilities had affected the communication process crucial in the fight against insurgency in the area.
Arase, while speaking on capacity-building for officers, said constables would go on training to enable them move to corporal.
He said: “only the proposed 10,000 recruits will now spot the uniforms of constables in the police force.”
Arase, however, lamented that the police were “highly de-motivated” in their efforts to fight insurgency.
“Our mobile personnel are fighting side by side with the military in the North-East and that is never mentioned when people are talking about police contributions to the fight against insurgency. And because they are doing well, we intend to push in more men into those areas.”
The IGP, however, said an outstanding N57 billion due to the police was yet to be released.
Jika assured Arase of the committee’s commitment to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of the federation as well as to enhance the security and welfare of the country.
He promised that the committee would “synergise with the police in their determination to nip the security challenges in the bud,” and also address the perennial problem of police welfare and pension as well as other matters militating against effective policing.
— Dec 7, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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