Boosting the police capacity to tackle security challenges
The current security challenges facing
the country have put the capability of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to
contain the situation to question.
Concerned observers particularly bemoan
the rising wave of terrorism in the country and the seeming helplessness
of the police to tackle the menace.
Their concern is quite understandable,
as statistics released by the police indicate that the Boko Haram sect
had so far carried out 118 bombings in the country, killing 308 people.
The attacks were carried out in Borno,
Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the FCT, and
only 33 suspects were said to have arrested in connection with the
attacks.
While the Boko Haram sect continues to
perpetrate its evil acts mainly in the North, police statistics indicate
that bank robberies and kidnapping are rife in the South.
The statistics reveal that in 2011
alone, 879 robbery and 366 kidnapping cases were recorded across the
country. During the period, 1,609 suspects were arrested, while 766
firearms and 31,175 ammunitions were seized from them.
However, the Minister of Police Affairs,
retired Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, said at the recent Ministerial
Platform organised to mark the first anniversary of President Goodluck
Jonathan's administration, that the personnel of the Nigeria Police
Force were inadequate.
He stressed that 370,000 policemen were
grossly inadequate to tackle the rising wave crime and police the
country with 150 million inhabitants effectively.
``This is grossly inadequate; yet, there
is an upsurge of crime nationwide, ranging from kidnapping, armed
robbery, assassination, human trafficking and only recently,
terrorism,'' he said.
Olubolade particularly noted that the
emerging challenge of terrorism had made it imperative for the country
to undertake an organisational restructuring of its police force, while
promoting cross-agency information sharing.
He, nonetheless, conceded that the
seeming dwindling performance of the police was a consequence of faulty
policies, stressing the urgent need to review such policies.
He, however, said that the policy thrust
of the ministry was aimed at building a modern, well-equipped and
well-motivated police force that were be capable of protecting the lives
and property of Nigerians.
The minster stressed that the policy was
also aimed at boosting the capacity of the police to fight and prevent
crime, while enforcing the country's laws.
``We also aim at building a police force
that can aggressively pursue offenders and bring them to book, although
with courtesy and respect for human dignity and rights'' he said.
On the achievements of the ministry in
the last one year, Olubolade said that steps had been initiated to
increase the personnel strength of police from 370,000 to 650,000 within
the next six years, in line with the police reform programme.
Saying that the mission of the ministry
was to have police officers and men who were adequately trained in
modern policing tactics and weapons' handling, the minister said that in
2011, eight training courses were conducted for 1,910 police personnel
at the cost of N781.3 million.
Olubolade said that 500 officers were
trained in counter-terrorism and rapid response, 250 in basic
intelligence, 650 in intelligence and surveillance, 100 in advanced
patrol operations, while 200 were trained in traffic management.
Besides, 100 officers underwent
``train-the-trainer'' courses and 50 officers were trained in
``Effective Leadership in Public Protection, Mobilisation and
Sensitisation'', while 60 others received training in curriculum
development.
The minister also said that 18,320
recruits and police constables were trained at various police colleges
across the country during the period, while 138 Cadet Inspectors and 153
Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) were currently undergoing
training.
``Another batch of 151 Cadet Inspectors and 149 ASPs are due to commence their training in July this year,'' he added.
As part of efforts to combat terrorism,
Olubolade said that an Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had been established
with bases in 12 locations across the country, while the Counter
Terrorism Strike Force Unit and the Counter Intelligence and
Investigation Unit had also been set up.
He also said that police personnel had
been exposed to training and retraining in counter-terrorism measures,
while modern security gadgets, arms and ammunition for combating
terrorism had been acquired.
Besides, the Counter Terrorism Training School had been set up in Nonwai Tai, Rivers, he added.
Olubolade said that the police's
intelligence gathering capacity would be further strengthened via an
ongoing project known as ``National Public Security Communication
System'', a tracking mechanism.
``The National Public Security
Communication System is an integrated digital tracking communication
system designed to provide robust, reliable, secure and independent
multimedia communication system (voice, video and data) for the police
and other security agencies,'' he said.
Olubolade said that the system comprised
five main components: ``Global Open Tracking Architecture'' (GOTA),
e-policing, video-conferencing, coalition emergency response and video
surveillance.
``The project was approved for
implementation at the cost of 470 million dollars (about N79.7
billion),'' he said, adding that the project would be jointly financed
by the Federal Government and the China Export-Import Bank.
He said that while the Federal
Government was expected to provide 15 per cent of funds, the Chinese
bank would provide the remaining 85 per cent as loan with a 2.5-per-cent
interest, payable in 20 years.
The minister said that out of the N9.1
billion appropriated for the police in 2011, only N6.01 billion was
released to the force adding that the released money was used to fund
and complete ongoing projects.
Olubolade said that the police had been
equipped with 250 vehicles, including Armoured Personnel Carriers
(APCs), and nine helicopters to boost their operational effectiveness
and enable them to deal with the current security challenges.
The minister said that the police reform
programme, initiated by the Federal Government, was meant to improve
the service delivery of the police via improved training and welfare.
He, nonetheless, lamented that the
reform programme was not well-funded because of the failure of state and
local governments to contribute to its finance.
However, analysts have been commending
the Federal Government for its efforts to transform the Nigeria Police
Force into a modern police force that is able to provide security for
the people and their property.
Mr Jacob Dimlong, a lawyer, said that
the government should sustain its efforts to transform the police into a
vibrant force that was capable of protecting the citizens and their
belongings.
``All the same, more efforts should be
directed in boosting the capacity of the police in curbing the growing
menace of terrorism in the country,'' he said.
``Apart from the Federal Government,
individuals and corporate organizations should make concerted efforts to
reposition the police for quality service delivery through voluntary
donations and disclosure of information that could aid the country's
security,'' he added.
Observers, nonetheless, stress the need
for the Federal Government to initiate plausible strategies to improve
the security situation in the country, insisting that the betterment of
police welfare and equipment should be part of the strategies.
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