By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has disclosed that men of Nigeria Police Force are losing their lives in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other criminalities in the country, stressing that the Force has continued to record casualties while battling insecurity across the country.
Disu disclosed this in Enugu after the commissioning of the Centre for DNA Forensic and Criminal Investigation (CeDFoCI) built by the Enugu State Government.
He emphasized that Police and other sister agencies are doing everything possible to curtail insecurity in Nigeria, noting that everyday police officers and men are on duty, they are recording “s lot of successes and also recording casualties too.”
He stressed the need for more manpower to check the insurgency.
Disu recalled the recent death of three officers of the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit in Maiduguri, who were killed while attempting to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by insurgents.
He noted that the officers ignored advice to postpone the operation until the next day because they wanted to prevent possible 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 said.
The police boss, however, assured Nigerians that security agencies were working tirelessly to tackle insecurity across the country.
“I want you to know that we are trying our best and we are losing our lives while doing it. 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.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the Police headquarters, Enugu, where he made a stop-over to interact with officers and men on the preparation the Force is making for future elections, the IGP said the Nigeria Police remained fully committed to ensuring peaceful, credible and violence-free polls.
He noted that the Force had successfully played its role in recent elections and assured of improved training and equipment to meet up with the rising security challenges in the land.
Addressing concerns over manpower shortages raised by the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, the IGP admitted that the Force was currently overstretched.
“I will not come here and tell you that I have enough men. We do not have enough personnel,” he said.
Disu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 50,000 police personnel, saying that the process is ongoing and they have been interviewed.
“I think they are at the medical stage, as I speak with you. Some of the training institutes have been refurbished so that we can start the training of these 50,000 men. For your information, we are looking beyond 50,000 men”, he said.
He commended Enugu Police Command for the work they are doing.
“They have been bringing down crime to the barest minimum, that is why I have come to say thank you to them,”he said.
He commended the governor of Enugu State, Barrister Peter Mbah, for equipping the state Police Command with vehicles to ensure maximum safety and security in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, in his welcomt speech, expressed the Command’s gratitude to the IGP for visit to Enugu, saying it showed his unwavering commitment to provide purposeful leadership and driving the force necessary to reposition the Nigerian Police Force as a disciplined, professional, technological-driven and people-oriented institution that earns and sustains the confidence of Nigerians.
He outlined the achievements and challenges he has made so far since he assumed office as the CP of Enugu State Command, and appreciated the IGP’s continuous support even as he appealed that he assists the Command especially in the areas of manpower, logistics mobility and personnel wellbeing.
*PHOTO CAPTION: IGP Disu.
