Federal Government has said it recruited 40,000 police officers in the last four years in an effort to re-energise the force to tackle increasing security challenges in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari made this known, yesterday, in Uyo while declaring open a two-day retreat for senior police officers.

He said he also gave assent to the Nigerian Police Trust Fund for an upward review of salaries and allowances of the rank and file in a bid to boost the morale of the Force.

Buhari, who was represented by Minister of Police Affairs, Dr. Maigari Dingyadi, added that the Federal Government initiated other efforts aimed at improving service delivery in the Force. They include a task force on evaluation of the Nigeria Police headed by Vice President Osibanjo and assenting to the Nigerian Police Regulatory Bill 2020.

The President commended the two arms of the National Assembly for their support to the Force and said government would continue to accord priority to efforts aimed at re-engineering and re-equipping the Force to tackle increasing security challenges of the country.

The President commended the Nigerian Governors Forum for their support to the Police, Akwa Ibom State government for hosting the conference and expressed the belief that the conference would engender a new policing focus and project a new united front against elements threatening the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, in his welcome remarks said the second Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers was borne out of leadership focus which emphasised capacity building as a pathway to re-invigorating strategic leadership capacity towards the enhancement of optimal police service delivery.

The IGP said the police would continue to explore available strategies in guaranteeing security and safety of Nigeria.

In his remarks, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State urged security agencies to do away with rivalry and collaborate to ensure effective and efficient security.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, urged participants to evolve more proactive ways of addressing security challenges in the country, especially as the nation prepares for the general elections next year.

The theme of the conference and retreat, “The New Police Vision – A Road Map for Stabilising Internal Security,” according to Emmanuel, is apt. He expressed optimism that the conference would bring out fertilised ideas that would enhance better policing, given the arrays of resources persons to the Retreat.