The Nigeria Police will recruit 60,000 personnel into the Force over the next six years.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, disclosed this on Wednesday during a working visit to Kwara State Police Command in Ilorin, the state capital.
This is just as the police boss described Kwara as the most peaceful state in the country compared to other states.
He said the police high command will recruit no fewer than 10,000 personnel every year for six years, adding that the recruitment had commenced.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for us to recruit 10,000 police personnel every year for six years. We have started but we have not done it for 2020. So we are doing for 2020 and 2021 between now and the end of the year. Their training is for six months. Latest by the end of 2021 our strength is expected to increase by 20,000,” Baba stated.
He added that the personnel will be recruited from the 774 local government areas of the country, adding that upon completion of their training, the new intakes would be redeployed to their various states of origin.
This, the police boss said would enhance effective policing “as only the people that understand a terrain or a society can man security effectively in such society.”
On the war against violent crimes in the country, Baba said that: “Police is not fighting the war against banditry and other crimes alone. All other security agencies in synergy are fighting the bandits including the military which is leading the war and we are winning.”
Earlier, in his remarks, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Tuesday Assayomo, said that the command is understaffed with just about 3,500 police officers and men.
“Kwara State Police Command has establishment strength of 8,000, but today, the personnel strength is less than 3,500. The command as at present has no serviceable armoured personnel carriers (APCs) because the two we have are still undergoing repairs in Sagamu, Ogun State,” Assayomo stated.
