With one Police to 796 Nigerians, why won’t there be insecurity?

According to available statistics, Nigeria has about 334,000 Officers and Men policing the entire 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The 36 state commands of the Nigeria Police are grouped into 12 zones and seven administrative organs.

The current figure was revealed in Abuja on Tuesday 13th November, 2018 by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris during this year’s Safe School Leadership Empowerment Conference and Awards.

He spoke through Commissioner of Police Olusegun Odumosu of the Inspectorate Department at the Force Headquarters and noted that kidnapping remained one of the most disturbing crimes plaguing the Nigerian society as schools had been repeatedly targeted by kidnappers.

If all the 334,000 officers and men are fully deployed to police Nigeria and her estimated 180 million people, it means that one police officer is responsible for the security of 538 Nigerians. This in itself is quite inadequate.

But that is not even the reality on ground.

It has been widely reported in the past that about 30 percent of the Police workforce in Nigeria are attached to companies, government institutions and some individuals called Very Important Persons (VIPs).

30 percent of 334,000 is 100,200. When 100,200 is removed from 334,000, we are left with 233,800 police for 180million Nigerians. This then means that in reality One Police personnel is responsible for policing 769 in the country.

If you have been wondering why there is so much insecurity in the country, I believe you have found the answer.

Which is that there is gross inadequate security personnel for Nigerian people; and that whereas the number of police officers and men are inadequate to cover the huge population,

nearly one third of the total number is handed over to a few privileged people called VIPs while the rest of us are left vulnerable, at the mercy of pickpockets, burglars, brigands, armed robbers, kidnappers, terrorists and rapists among many others.

Worried by the grossly inadequate number of police officers and men under his employment and in view of the worsening security situation of the country, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris on March 19th this year ordered the immediate withdrawal of all police officers and men attached to the so called VIPs

The IGP who claimed to have discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari before giving the order said he was forwarding a memo to the President for immediate approval.

“To this effect, a memo will be forwarded to the President for approval which will serve as a guideline or template for deployment of police officers to VIP, Political office holders and public office holders in the country,”

IGP Idris said adding that the need for streamlining the deployment of police personnel attached to VIPs, Political and Public office holders, is aimed at enhancing effective and efficient policing of the country and to leave a larger number to police the public.

“A Task Force has been constituted at the Force headquarters under the Command of ACP Mohammed Adamu Dan Kwara to ensure compliance to this directive while the Command CPs are to replicate same at their various commands.

However, business entrepreneurs, multi-national organizations, corporate individuals and entities that require such services and are found to be worthy will be considered from the Special Protection Unit of the Nigerian Police Force on application for re-validation through state commissioners of police where they are resident or domiciled,” the IGP Idris added.

But while few Nigerians hailed IGP for the announcement, saying it was a step in the right direction, millions of citizens just laughed it off, as according to them, the order was mere ‘shakara,’ as the beat their chest that IGP Idris does not have the guts needed to effectively carry out the order

as the Police High Command itself was excessively compromised with many personnel benefitting from the abnormal situation, especially from the VIPs who they say dole out millions of Naira periodically to enjoy their Special Police protection

To prove scorners of the institution right, the same IGP Idris a few days later, precisely on 23rd March, 2018 kissed his own canvass by ‘suspending’ the order to withdraw his officers and men attached to VIPs and others. He said the order was suspended by ‘one month’ so that things would be tidied up before implementation.

“IGP Idris has graciously shifted the enforcement/implementation of the withdrawal of Police Officers attached to Political and Public Office Holders, VIPs, Public and Private Companies

and other categories of enterprises and business outfits and corporate individuals throughout the country as earlier directed. The withdrawal will now take effect from the 20th of April, 2018.

This is to enable the Police Force carry out a thorough assessment of the current deployment and carry out appropriate withdrawal,” Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood tried to explain to a bewildered nation.

But seven months after, the Police Force is yet to effect the directives, as VIPs are still keeping the 30 percent of officers and men of the Force while rest of us are left to our fate.

You still can see two or three Police trucks loaded with heavily armed personnel guarding a man or woman while each of the 36 state governors have over 250 security officers attached to them including operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

To this end the Federal Government needs to carry out massive recruitment into the Police and other related agencies in order for them to have adequate manpower to provide security across the country.

Above that is the sad reality that taxpayers money are being used to finance private security for the so-called VIPs to the detriment of the weak members in our society which I believe is the lowest point of the current administration, hence it is not aligned to President Muhammadu Buhari’s known ideals, as a matter of fact, a huge contradiction.