THE 18.4 billion earmarked for the Police in the N13-89 trillion 2021 budget estimate is grossly inadequate, Inspector-General IG Mohammed Adamu told House of Representatives members yesterday.
IG Adamu urged the Green Chamber to raise the annual budget of the Force to enable the security agency tackle crimes and criminality in the country.
He made the request while defending the Police vote in the budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs at the National Assembly.
According to him, adequate funding is required for the force to carry out its constitutional mandate, adding that the enormous security challenges facing the nation require more than N18.4 billion appropriated for it in the budget.
He explained that the police under his watch are determined to provide the desired security for the nation.
“The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as the primary security agency in charge of national security is being challenged by the enormous financial challenges”, the police boss said.
Adamu told the committee that a major target of the budget is the training and retraining of personnel of the force and logistics.
Giving the lawmakers a rundown of the N18.4 billion budget, Adamu told the committee that the N11 billion capital component of the budget is insufficient inadequate for the required logistics.
Bello Kumo, Chairman of the House Committee and other lawmakers were of the opinion that a paltry N11 billion budget for capital cannot not be enough for twelve calendar months
The committee, Kumo said, will ensure that there is proper funding of the Nigeria Police Force, he told the IGP.
The lawmaker also asked the IG to submit the names of slain personnel of the Force to the Office of the Speaker of the House for adequate compensation.

By Victor Oluwasegun