The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Wednesday said the men of the Nigeria Police are not well catered for which has diminished their dignity in society.

Gbajabiamila noted that policemen need to command respect and not demand it.

He said if by their appearance and equipment, policemen could command respect from the public.

The Speaker, however, promised that the legislative arm of the country will work closely with the Nigeria Police in the area of funding.

Gbajabiamila said this when the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“We need to know that police work has a lot to do with psychology. Why are policemen looking tattered on the streets? They wear dirty, torn uniforms and you see them in slippers.

“So people don’t even respect them or feel intimidated by their presence when they need to enforce the law. In other countries, the sight of a policeman and the gadgets he carries alone, prevent crime from happening. This is immediate recognition from the appearance of a policeman.

“We will welcome collaboration. Don’t worry that if you do a needs assessment, a budget, and we look for the funds, if we must do it, we must do it,” Gbajabiamila said.

Speaking, acting IGP, Baba thanked the Speaker and promised to upgrade the security agents under his watch with the help of the nation’s lawmakers.

“The police will work more with better support from the legislature. In the area of funding, we appeal that you support us more because we are underfunded. We are now miracle players, compared to what we have.

“In the area of funds for operations, this is highly inadequate, looking at the many interventions that we must do from time to time,” Baba said