Don’t extort recruits, Buhari warns police

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From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned that he will not tolerate any irregularities or extortion from the unemployed as the Federal Government plans to beef police workforce with 10,000 new recruits.

The President has also directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, to reduce the number of policemen attached to dignitaries, and redeploy them to regular police duties.

This is even as the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), and retired IGP, Sir Mike Okiro‎, said Nigeria is in deficit of 19,500 policemen, adding  that the recruitment of 10,000 personnel as promised by President Buhari on Monday, would not be immediate.

The President gave the warning at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police Service Commission (PSC), at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja, yesterday.

He said it was unacceptable a situation where applicants pay bribes before being recruited into the force in the past.

The President said those in charge of recruitment and training in the police must be above board and eschew every form of extortion and underhand dealing.

“You must ensure that the recruitment process is transparent. Those who will conduct it must be above board. It should not be heard that they receive gratifications or extort money from those who want to enlist in the police,” he cautioned.

On the stagnation of policemen, the President counselled the PSC to review the current structure of the police, and recommend on how the problem can be solved to boost the morale of serving policemen.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. James Obiegbu had, while briefing the President, listed inadequate police personnel, dwindling finances and non-rehabilitation of training schools as some of the challenges.

Okiro had told the President that Nigeria needed more than the 305,579 police personnel to enhance effective policing.

He also thanked the President for approving the recruitment of 10,000 additional personnel into the force.

Speaking to State House correspondents after briefing the President, Okiro said the employment of 10,000 policemen would not be immediate because there are guidelines and procedures to be followed.

He said out of over 21,000 policemen who left the service as a result of death, retirement or dismissal, only 1,500 have been replaced. This, he said has left a huge deficit that is currently affecting operations. He said, “over the years, more than 21,000 police officers have retired, some dismissed, some died between 2010 and today.  “Of this number, only about 1,500 have been replaced, leaving a deficit of a very large number.

“So, we discussed this with Mr. President. Of course, you are aware that a few days ago, Mr. President said the police are going to embark on recruitment of 10,000 people. We discussed with him on the modalities and how to ensure that they are recruited to maintain the security of Nigeria,” Okiro noted.

The former IGP said currently, most of the police training equipment are obsolete, while some should be totally replaced, others need renovations, hence, the urge for the infrastructure to be in place before the exercise can be carried out.

Okiro said, “there will be procedures and guidelines before recruitment takes place. So, when all these things have taken place, the ‘i’ is dotted and ‘t’ crossed, recruitment will start.”

On the President’s response, Okiro said he assured the team that the police would be encouraged by being well-funded and well-equipped within the provisions of the budget to make sure Nigerians are provided with adequate security.