We lack operational fund, Acting IGP

Despite the country’s dire security situation, Acting Inspector-General of Police Alkali Usman Baba said on Wednesday that the police have no funding for their operations.

Without support and in the face of attacks on its infrastructure and the killing of its officers and men in various parts of the world, the police have evolved into a “Miracle Player” to achieve the results they have, according to Baba.

At a meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, he discussed the police’s lack of funding.

He told the Speaker: “We have not account” to go and dip our hands and do quick deployment in terms of mitigation or even proactively stopping what is to come.   Sincerely speaking, year-in, year-out, besides what we have as allocations, we have problems meeting emergencies.”

He said: “We are requesting that you look more into our predicament. We are really underfunded and there is nothing or less one can do without funds.

“Normally, operations should have a fund that you can quickly deploy to areas whether it is a natural or man-made crisis. The police do not have that at all. We always rely on our budgetary allocations which are not enough.

”I agree that one may not get completely what he wants even in his house.  We are managing what we have.

“The most essential thing I want to plead is for the House of Representatives  to look into the areas of funds for our operations.”

The Police Chief thanked the House for voting in favor of the Police Act 2020, stating that it would modernize their operations.

He also demanded that the bills establishing the Police Service Commission and the National Institute for Police Training be passed as soon as possible.

“As the lead agency, we want to perform better than what we are doing. And with your cooperation and assistance, definitely, the police would work more and do more to ensure that the confidence of people is restored.”

Gbajabiamila pledged the House’s support, stating that funding for the police had never been cut unless it was absolutely required.

”What I am saying is that I believe that we do provide these things, but as it trickles down, where the problem is what we need to resolve so that even the policemen we are trying to protect can feel good about themselves and about what they do,” he said.

He stated that the House was worried about the country’s growing insecurity and had responded by forming a special committee to work with the Executive Arm to resolve the situation.

The committee will begin meeting in the coming days, according to the Speaker.

Gbajabiamila expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of some police officers, especially junior officers, and wondered if it was due to a lack of adequate training or a lack of understanding of their constitutional position.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with the poor appearance of junior officers on the streets, recommending that something be done to boost the Force’s reputation.

He was once again perplexed as to who was to blame. ”The question is, who is to blame for that. Why are they dressed the way they are? Is it their responsibility or the fault of those in higher positions?” he wondered.

The Speaker encouraged the IGP to conduct a needs assessment in order to obtain support for their problems.

He said that the country cannot continue to complain about the police while failing to provide them with the requisite tools to do their jobs.

”We are expecting hopefully a supplementary budget that would be pinned on two areas, COVID-19 and security. I want you to liaise very well with the Executive before the budget comes to us so we know how the police can be accommodated if not in the supplementary budget at least the next budget,” the Speaker said.