There appear to be better days ahead for the Nigeria Police as President Muhammadu Buhari has sustained moves to modernise their operations and enhance the welfare of officers and men.
The optimism was expressed by Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke.
The group said that the police reforms of the Buhari administration were targeted at improving the welfare as well as the operational capabilities of police operatives.
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“We recall that one of the first policy statements President Buhari made on assuming office in 2015 was the assurance of a new lease of life for the poorly motivated police his administration inherited.
“So, aside from institutionalising an annual recruitment of 10,000 policemen, which actually began in 2020, there are concrete efforts by the Buhari administration to improve on the quality of policing in the country in line with international best practices, while also moving closer to the UN recommended benchmark of one police officer to 400 citizens,” the group said.
According to BMO, “The Police Act of 2020, which was signed into law in September 2020 to repeal an out-dated act that had been in place for over 70 years, is ushering in necessary reforms that will pave the way for a truly modern police that can compete favourably with their counterparts around the world.
“The act contains provisions that are changing the policing narrative in Nigeria through the Community Police initiative under which 10,000 annual recruits are to be posted to their respective local government areas.
“If this is not a game changer in policing in the country we wonder how anyone can describe the initiative that the President committed N18bn to when it took off.”
It also pointed out that President Buhari’s message on salary review for the police at the recent passing out parade of the 3rd Regular Course Cadets of the Nigeria Police Academy at Wudil, Kano was a manifestation of that desire to leave a long lasting legacy for the Nigeria Police.
“We see the President’s clear directive to the National Salaries and Wages Commission on salary review for officers and men of the police as a move that is in line with the pro-people policy that has shaped his tenure in office.It is yet another effort by the administration to ensure that the police are sufficiently motivated to carry out their duties at a time that the country is facing contemporary security challenges,” it said.
The group further said: “In addition to this is the twin issue of equipment and training which are being taken care of with the introduction of a Police Trust Fund which is meant to consign decades of an under trained, poorly motivated police force with inadequate equipment to the dustbin of history.
“We also need to add that the Buhari administration is also committed to addressing cases of Police abuse by reorganising the Police Public Complaints Committee”.
