Buhari promises to restore the lost pride of Nigerian Police

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the Nigerian Police Force that his government will work towards restoring its “lost primacy” in the country.

The president’s spokesman Garba shehu said Buhari made the promise during a “Thank You” visit by the members of the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the leadership of the force.

“President Muhammadu Buhari Monday assured that his administration will continue to give attention to the welfare and operational needs of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with a view to restoring its lost primacy in the internal security framework of the country,” Shehu said in a statement on Monday.

“President Buhari observed that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be,” he added.

Shehu stated that the visit by the top leaders of the police is coming on the heels of Buhari’s ” approval of Rank Salary Structure Adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen will be increased.”

He further said the president “regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime, had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country.”

The media aide also stated that the president is of the view that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be.

Shehu affirmed the president’s belief that with a well-motivated police, the military would be reserved for higher tasks while the police should handle challenges of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and such crimes.

Nigeria’s police unit currently has a staff strength of about 371,800 to police a 200 million population. Plans are underway to increase the force to recruit 155,000 additional officers in the next five years according to the nations number one cop, IGP Ibrahim Idris.