IGP Egbetokun Discloses Plans To Address ‘Manpower Shortage’ During Visit To Kwara Command…Emphasizes Need To ‘Tread Carefully’ On Contributory Scheme

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has assured members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and members of the public that the issue of ‘manpower shortage’ in the police is being looked into with a view to addressing it and correcting the situation ‘gradually’ while adding that he has gotten the go-ahead from President Bola Tinubu to increase the number of people that are recruited into the police yearly.

‘We’re paying attention to manpower shortage . I know there’s  manpower  shortage  in this command. I know the stress that I had gone through as CP while making sure that the job is done. I know one policeman does the job of two policemen. 

A policeman would be on the night shift   and  still returns to office in the morning. And when he dozes off in public, his photograph is taken and posted on social media  to ridicule him. I’m aware of all these’ he said. 

He also said steps are being taken to ensure that cops undergo regular training, a development that will make a policeman undergo at least one week training every year in order to have a well-trained workforce.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Egbetokun said this while addressing  officers and the rank and file of  the Nigeria Police Force during his one-day working visit to the State command at the state  police headquarters ,Ilorin on Friday.

Promising to look into the welfare of the cops, Egbetokun ,who emphasized the need to motivate the police personnel in order to make them be at their best ,  also noted that  a pay rise is not the only way to improve the welfare of the cops adding that ‘serious effort’ will be made to look into the welfare of members of the Nigeria Police Force.

Commenting on the  growing concerns  and agitations  by police personnel to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) , Egbetokun emphasized the need to tread carefully noting that there is a need to think this out  and assess  what is available in the new one being considered to avoid making a hasty decision.

He commended the State Command for the sacrifices made to ensure that Kwara state remains peaceful while noting that he is aware of the exploits,  arrests, breakthroughs and convictions that the State command has made and urged cops in the state to key into his vision  for the Nigeria Police Force.

Egbetokun served as Commissioner of Police in Kwara state   between 2019 and  2020 , and it was the first time he would be visiting the state after becoming the nation’s police chief.

The IGP noted that he was happy to visit the state  three years after leaving as head of the state command.

‘This is my first official visit to the state after becoming IGP. I was all smiles while disembarking from the aircraft at the airport,   I recall with nostalgia the interesting days I had here,  I have seen faces ,familiar faces that I worked with,  I have seen that they are happy to see me and I am very happy to see them too’ he said.

The police chief ,who is the 22nd indigenous IGP, and the Chairman of ECOWAS police chiefs , also talked about his vision for the NPF noting that he is working towards having  a police force  that is professionally competent , service-driven, rule of law -compliant and citizen-friendly.

He also emphasized the need to build a police force that will support the agenda of the government in respect of economic recovery as well as social integration and political development of the country. 

‘We want a police force that will be so well-positioned to respond to the  dynamics  of crimes and criminalities in our communities.

   We want to build a police force that members of the police force will be proud that they are members of the police force’ he added.

Egbetokun had earlier visited  the Emir of Ilorin, His Eminence, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari at his palace . and he described his visit as a homecoming, while appreciating the  Ilorin monarch for giving him support as head of the state police command from 2019 to 2020.

Giving his speech,  the state Commissioner of Police,  Mr Victor Olaiya urged the Force Headquarters to provide the state command with   an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to further ease efforts to protect financial institutions in the state  and improve crime- fighting capacity. 

He also complained about manpower shortage adding that Kwara state was created on May 5, 1967, with a strength of 8,000 policemen, when the population of the state was far below two million. 

‘Thankfully, the IGP has assured of the recruitment of more hands, and we hope and wish it continues.

Kwara state is the gateway state between the Northern and Southern parts of the country; this alone has exposed the state to both negative and positive opportunities with her position, hence the need to continually be on our toes.

The state is surrounded by both local and international borders, making policing challenging. This brings me to the issue of synergy with sister agencies. I am proud to report, sir, that the foundation of collaboration while you served as the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command has taken a firm root, which has contributed to the successes achieved in respect of crime fighting in the state.

In spite of logistic challenges and inadequate manpower, the command has been trying to sustain the harmony that has existed in the state’ he submitted-Team@orientactualmags.com
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