Former Inspector-General of Police Mike Okiro has claimed that the Nigerian government is actively diminishing the efficacy of the police force by withholding essential equipment, which has exacerbated the nation’s security challenges. Speaking at the inaugural Daily National Dialogue on Security in Abuja, Okiro identified the police as the primary entity responsible for domestic safety.
Okiro asserted that by intentionally depriving officers of necessary resources, the authorities have compromised the police’s ability to combat criminal activity. He emphasized that the government is essentially enabling instability by failing to provide the force with the means to fulfill its constitutional mandate. Furthermore, he noted that criminals are becoming increasingly advanced, while police officers remain poorly supported.
The former official also pointed to a severe staffing crisis, attributing it to a long-term failure to replace retiring or deceased officers. He recounted his time leading the Police Service Commission in 2013, during which he discovered that recruitment had been halted for five consecutive years.
