The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, has declared that Nigeria will still need 190,000 personnel to tackle crime in the country.
IGP added that insufficient policemen is hindering the agency’s efforts to tackle crime in the country.
Egbetokun made the disclosure in a paper presentation to the Senior Executive Course 45 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State, on Wednesday.
He buttressed further while the UN recommended one police personnel to 460 citizens, Nigeria has a police-citizen ratio of 1 to 650.
In his words: “Therefore, the NPF requires an additional 190,000 personnel to be at parity with the United Nations recommended ratio.
” If the country is not well-policed, the government’s industrialisation drive would become unrealistic.
“Therefore, the inadequate manpower, which has resulted in a low police presence, could hinder the government’s industrialization efforts,” the IGP added.
The police boss stressed further that without sufficient police presence and response capabilities, industrial sites could become vulnerable to criminal activities and hamper economic progress.
