A former military administrator of Oyo and Taraba states, Prince Edore Oyakhire, has said that inadequate funding, poor training, insufficient equipment and low remuneration are undermining the effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force.
Oyakhire, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, stated this in a letter of appreciation to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, following the latter’s recent visit to him at his Benin residence. He said their two-hour discussion covered Nigeria’s economy, security, politics, corruption, patriotism and national values.
Comparing the present police force with the institution in which he served, the retired AIG said: “The system that produced some of us was one that commanded the respect of society. Officers performed effectively and efficiently on the basis of competence, discipline, loyalty and professionalism.”
He lamented the condition under which officers currently operate, saying: “The country’s police force is ill-equipped, poorly trained and poorly remunerated to perform its functions effectively and in compliance with the rule of law.” He added that the force had been “funded perennially for mere existence rather than performance.”
ALSO READ: US: Mother admits to having sex with son ‘only 100 times’
Oyakhire urged the Federal Government to increase its investment in the force, arguing that adequate funding for training, retraining and equipment would enhance its operational capacity. “Resources invested in the police are wisely invested because, without law and order, peace and security, there will be no cohesion, stability and sustainable development,” he said.
The former military administrator also opposed the establishment of state police under the control of governors, contending that Nigeria had not attained the level of political maturity required for such a system. According to him, “Most current governors are despots, political oppressors and intolerant of opposition,” and state police could be deployed against political opponents.
He commended Daaor and officers of the Edo State Police Command for what he described as their sustained dedication to combating crime and other social vices. He, however, advised the commissioner to enforce discipline and correct erring officers, stressing: “Corruption, disloyalty, indolence, ineptitude and indiscipline must not be tolerated.”
Oyakhire further described Nigeria’s security situation as unhealthy, citing inadequate intelligence gathering, the proliferation of illegal firearms, armed robbery and kidnapping. He urged the government to treat security as a fundamental obligation, while also pursuing employment creation, poverty reduction and infrastructural development as long-term measures against crime.