Governors of the 36 states have expressed concern that the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians into the police force approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, is inadequate to tackle the dearth of security agents in the country.
The governors under the auspices of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) have therefore in conjunction with the Federal Government, proposed to recruit NPower cadets whose two-year service is coming to an end or youth service corps members or any of the other institutions to boost the manpower of the Nigerian Police Force.
This is even as President Buhari has directed governors and security chiefs to work out detailed modalities for the suggested takeoff date so that it can be draft into a plan of action.
Briefing State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari, the Chairman of the forum, and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, said he briefed the President on the outcome of the security committee of the National Economic Council which he chairs, which reviewed concerns, issues around security and the proposed reactions.
According to him, “This was a meeting that had in its membership the governors from the six zones, the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and the National Security Adviser.
“It was the outcome of the last Economic Council meeting which focused exclusively on security. That committee met a couple of days ago and I was asked to brief both the Vice President who chairs the National Economic Council and to brief the President as well on the aspect of the work of the sub-committee of NEC that will require the Commander-in-Chief’s support. Namely the organisation of the community policing arrangement that the IGP has announced publicly as his own way of effective response to security challenges across the board.
“The coordination between governors and security chiefs within the six zones and then recruitment into the law enforcement agencies. As you maybe aware, certain recruitments are going on now particularly with regards to the police.
But, we feel in our humble opinion that 10,000 men and women are not enough to add to the police in tackling the dearth of security agents in the country. That we will have to figure out a way to increase that number either out of the NPower cadets who are coming to the end of their service year having spent two years or youth corps members or any of the other institutions that will enable us to boost the manpower of the Nigerian police force.”
By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja