Police working to reduce use of lethal weapons, says IGP

Assures on community policing
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has said that efforts are ongoing to reduce the use of lethal weapons in crisis situations.

He also noted that the police were working towards enhancing community policing.

Adamu disclosed this in his lecture entitled ‘Security and Protection of System: The Challenge of Policing in Nigeria’, at the Town Talk Lecture organised by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association in the university.

The use of electro-muscular disruption technology, which is commonly known as teaser or stun guns, according to him, is being considered to reduce cases of misuse of firearms, accidental discharges and extra-judicial killings.

Represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of Research and Training, Peter Ogunyanwo, the IGP noted that the efforts would help in enhancing community policing and police-public partnership.

The Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone 11, comprising Oyo, Osun and Ondo states, Leye Oyebade; and Commissioner of Police in Oyo, Shina Olukolu, were also in attendance.

He listed challenges of policing in Nigeria to include poor funding due to corruption, manpower shortage, inferior fire power, inadequate technology, lack of public trust, training deficiency, poor condition of service, unnecessary political interference, and unhealthy rivalry with sister agencies.

“Regardless of the daunting challenges facing policing in Nigeria, I can assure you that we are on the right path towards surmounting them with the right leadership provided by the current IGP and with the solid support from President Muhammadu Buhari,” the police chief said.

He stated that the presidential approval of yearly recruitment of 10,000 police officers for five consecutive years, if religiously followed through, would help in bridging the manpower gap.

His words, “Though we still have a long way to go, it is at least gratifying that we are on the right path towards addressing the challenges of policing in Nigeria. It is in this note that I want to solicit the support of all Nigerians for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in the onerous task of discharging its internal security mandate.”