Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has raised alarm over the growing number of police officers being killed while carrying out their duties, lamenting that the Force continues to lose personnel in the fight against insecurity across Nigeria.
Disu spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of a modern Forensic and Investigation Centre established by Godfrey Okoye University in collaboration with the Enugu State Government.
He said officers of the Nigeria Police Force have continued to make sacrifices in efforts to tackle crime, insurgency and banditry nationwide.
“We are trying our best, and we are losing our men while doing it,” Disu lamented.
The police chief cited the recent death of three operatives attached to the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit in Maiduguri. The officers were killed while attempting to neutralise an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) allegedly planted by insurgents.
Disu explained that the officers rejected proposals to delay the operation until the next day because they were determined to avert potential loss of civilian lives.
“They were dedicated officers who wanted to save lives. Unfortunately, they fell into the trap laid by the insurgents, and we lost them.”
He, however, assured Nigerians that security agencies remain focused on tackling security threats across the country despite the challenges confronting them.
“We are not sleeping on our oars. We are working day and night. What we are doing may not be made public, but very soon Nigerians will hear good news,” he stated.
Speaking on election security, the IGP reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to delivering peaceful, credible and violence-free elections across the country.
He noted that the Force had effectively discharged its responsibilities during recent electoral exercises and would continue to equip personnel with the knowledge required to respond to evolving electoral laws and security demands.
“As the lead agency in election security, we must continue to update our thinking and procedures,” he said.
Disu also addressed the ongoing conversation surrounding the creation of state police, revealing that the Force had already prepared and submitted its position on the matter to the National Assembly.
He said the Nigeria Police Force had actively participated in discussions aimed at reforming policing in the country.
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Responding to concerns about inadequate manpower raised by the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Bitrus Mamman Giwa, the IGP acknowledged that the Force does not currently have enough personnel to meet its operational demands.
“I will not come here and tell you that I have enough men. We do not have enough personnel,” he said.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 50,000 police officers, with the exercise already progressing to the medical screening stage.
He added that police colleges and training institutions across the country had been upgraded ahead of the recruitment exercise, while efforts were also being made to bring more personnel into the Force beyond the approved figure.
Disu further assured Enugu State of increased police presence following discussions with Governor Peter Mbah, who recently provided additional operational vehicles for security agencies in the state.
“The governor has acquired a large number of vehicles, and we need personnel to deploy them. I have given him my assurance that we will increase manpower in Enugu to sustain the relative peace being enjoyed in the state.”
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