An NGO, Initiative for Leadership Development and Change, has advocated proper funding and training of policemen in Nigeria to bridge the distrust between the police and people.
Its National Coordinator, Ugochukwu Nnam, made the call an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.
Nnam said adequate funding and retraining were key to improving civilian-police relation.
He said the police played crucial role in national security and called on the government to give priority to police affairs.
Nmam said the inability of previous governments to improve on the welfare of the police gave room for corruption and the distrust existing between the police and the people.
He said: “I don’t see why our police cannot be treated equally with the staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The police to me is more important than the staff of the CBN because the money cannot be safe without the police.”
The ILDC Coordinator expressed worry over the wide difference between the Nigerian policemen and their American or European counterparts, blaming the alleged corruption among Nigeria policemen on their underpayment.
Nmam said: “I don’t see anything wrong in sending our Constables to Europe or America for training, the same way some CBN staff are sent for training.
“Our policemen are not well trained, not well paid, they fuel their cars themselves, they don’t live and operate in conducive houses or offices.”
Nnam decried the general poor state of the Nigeria police, which he said was the reason for the lingering insecurity in the country.
He said well trained and equipped police would help to restore confidence and professionalism among the officers.
Nnam commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the upward review of the salary of the policemen, but called for improvement in all departments of the force for effective service delivery.
NAN.
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