We need more personnel, funding to tackle crime effectively—IGP

The Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris has stated that the inability of the force to effectively tackle crime in the country is due to few personnel in its service compare to the population of the country.

Just as he disclosed that the force have concluded plans to establish tracking units in Lagos and Rivers to contain the spate of kidnappings in the country.

Idris disclosed this during an interaction with crime reporters and civil organisation in Lagos on Friday.

He said: “We are grossly understaffed. We need over a million policemen to meet the United Nations standard of policing in the world.

“Thankfully, the government has given approval for yearly recruitment of 10,000 policemen. For so many years, there was embargo on police recruitment,” he said.

He lamented the fact that an agency that has been chunning people out yearly either by retirement, dismissal or death, yet no recruitment.

“Besides, the police lost so many personnel in the course of the Boko Haram insurgency. We were the worst hit and still we were not recruiting. So, all these affected the strength of the police,” he stated.

On tackling the menace of kidnapping the police boss stated that tracking machines have been deployed to both states and would start functioning in few weeks time, so as to reduce pressure on those in Abuja and enhance the police’ anti-kidnapping drive.

According to Idris, “The tracking machine has made it possible for the police to resolve about 90 percent of kidnap cases, with victims rescued and suspects arrested.

“We have been able to achieve this with the tracker in Abuja. So, in order to achieve more, we are establishing two other tracking units. One in Lagos and another in Rivers State.

“While the machine in Port Harcourt, Rivers State would cater for the southern and eastern regions, that deployed to Lagos would focus on the west,” he noted.

The police chief also disclosed that plans were underway to reinvigorate the force’ forensic laboratories, but noted that funds constrains were hindering its implementation.

While urging Nigerians to assist the police in tackling armed crimes, he reiterated that the fight against kidnappers was a community fight calling for the cooperation of community leaders and residents association in the fight against crime as it emanate for the communities.

According to him, “Kidnapping seems to be a community thing. It is not what the police alone can handle. It has become a community fight and can only be solved with the help of the people.

“The tracking unit has helped us a lot in solving kidnap cases. I can tell you that we have resolved 90 percent of kidnap cases across the country

“When I assumed duty, one of the plans we came up with was to rehabilitate our forensic units. I outlined the challenges of the police and how to handle them. But the thing is that we have been having funding challenges,” he lamented.