FG to improve police budgetary allocation

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the Federal Government has advanced efforts to improve budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Police Force.

He spoke in Abuja during the National Security Summit on farmers-pastoralist clashes, kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes and bank security in Nigeria.

Osibanjo, represented by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau, said efforts were on to address the manpower shortages of the police as well as improve budgetary allocation to alleviate its operational, logistical and welfare challenges.

He said rural banditry, cattle rustling; militancy, armed robbery and kidnapping were the most serious security threats facing the country.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, called for implementation of resolutions made at security summits and not just meeting to discourse the problems.

He said, “We keep meeting at forums to discourse this same issue…take decisions and implement it.”

Also speaking, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom said, “there is no empty land for grazing in Benue state,” noting that, the State House of Assembly has passed a bill to ban open grazing and allow for ranching in the State.

In his address, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris said the police need to recruit 31,000 police officers yearly for a period of five years to bridge the manpower requirement of the Force.