Says police to recruit 10,000 personnel
The acting inspector general of police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has disclaimed reports that the federal government recently paid N100 billion to herdsmen to stop killings across the country.
Speaking after a two and a 180-minute closed-door meeting with the senate in Abuja yesterday, Adamu said the source of the information could not be verified.
“The information you got about giving N100 billion to herdsmen to stop killing is from the social media. There was no discussion like that. The source of that information is not yet known. It is somebody’s imagination,” he said.
Thereafter, he said the federal had approved the recruitment of 10,000 personnel in 2019 to address the shortfall in police personnel.
“Policing is dynamic. The number of personnel we have can never be enough. But the government is trying to recruit every year. This year, we have 10,000 to recruit. We will meet up with the required number.”
He said the senate saw reason with his presentation on the need to make the country more secured.
“The senate has appreciated what we have presented and they are willing to enhance the strategy.
“The senate has agreed to support all our activities to make the country secure,” he said.
On the reported molestation of women by some policemen in Abuja, Adamu assured that the police authorities will set up a panel to investigate the matter “and any policeman found wanting will face the wrath of the law.”
“The raiding of nightclubs in Abuja was done by FCT task force. They came out to do their job and they reached out to police to support them and we did that. Women were arrested and convicted. It means that they committed an offence,” he added.
For his part, the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, assured of the readiness of the Senate to assist the police in tackling the security issues facing the nation.
Saraki, who summarised what transpired at the closed-door meeting between the Senate and the police chief upon resumption of plenary yesterday, emphasised that the Senate promised and expressed commitment to assist in areas of funding.
“The Senate is ready at any time to give assistance to provide adequate funding that is required in order to make the Police combat the necessary threats to our security,” he said.
