The Nigeria Police Force is to recruit 60,000 personnel within the next six years, Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba announced in Ilorin, Wednesday.
As a start, the IGP said 20,000 police personnel will be recruited between now and end of 2021 to make up for the 10,000 personnel that ought to have been recruited in 2020 following the approval of President Muhammedu Buhari.
IGP Baba said this in Ilorin, during his working visit to the Kwara state command of the force.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for us to recruit 10,000 police personnel every year for six years. We have started but we have not done for 2020.
“So we are doing for 2020 and 2021 between now and the end of the year. Their training is for six months. Latest by the end of 2021 our strength is expected to increase by 20,000.by 2022,” he said.
On the war against violent crimes in the country, Baba said “Police are not fighting the war against banditry and other crimes alone. All other security agencies in synergy are fighting the bandits, including the military, which is leading the war and we are winning.”
The state Police Commissioner, Emienbo Assayomo said the command is understaffed with a just about 3,500 police officers and men.