Olukayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), claims that a lack of personnel is impeding the agency’s attempts to combat crime.
He claims that the police require 190,000 more officers to successfully secure the nation.
At the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Plateau State, on Wednesday, IGP Egbetokun delivered a paper to the Senior Executive Course 45.
While the UN suggested one police officer for every 460 inhabitants, Nigeria had a police-citizen ratio of one to 650, according to Egbetokun.
In order to match the United Nations’ suggested ratio, the NPF needs to hire an additional 190,000 people, he explained.
The police chief warned that the government’s goal toward industrialization would become unachievable if the nation is not well-policed.
The IGP continued, “Therefore, the lack of manpower, which has led to a low police presence, could impede the government’s industrialization initiatives.”
“Industrial areas could become exposed to criminal activity and impede economic progress without proper police presence and response capability.”
He continued by saying that the Nigerian police’s lack of resources is also limiting their ability to protect the vital infrastructure of the nation.
The IGP is hosting a meeting on defense and security studies on Wednesday to address the role of police in relation to the three major concerns of industrialization, energy security, and climate change.
