THE POLICE HAVE FAILED - By Sanusi Aliyu Muhammad

It is very common and easy to hear people say the police have failed in protecting lives and property anytime there is a civil disturbance or any crime. One thing people don't take into account is why is the failure?  In order to function as humans, there are basic things we need like oxygen, water and food among many. The police too requires some basic things to effectively work. They are not spirits. 

At the risk of whatever consequences that could arise as a result of this post, please find below the budget requirements for the police in 2016 and 2017 vis-a-vis what was allocated/released to them 

In 2016, the police submitted an OVERHEAD budget of N90,645,426,172. The National Assembly in its WISDOM appropriated N9,250,656,307 representing less than 10% of the request. Until the year ended, only N6,369,343,519.18 was released. 

In the same year, a CAPITAL budget of N331,000,000,000 was made. Out of this, the National Assembly appropriated N16,107,272,000. Until the year phased out, N10,026,818,000 was the amount released. 

In 2017, the police sent in an overhead budget of N90,645,462,172 and N11,655,565,307 was appropriated out of which only N5,026,115,986.8 was released. 

In the same year, a capital budget of N162,913,472,672 was submitted. Of this, N20,198,272,000 was appropriated. As at almost end of the year, only N3,000,000,000 was released. 

The UN standard is ONE policeman to 400 persons.The UN here refers to a fully kitted policeman who undergoes training and retraining continously and whose welfare is not being compromised. I was a United Nations police officer, so I know how a policeman should be. It is ONE policeman to 800 persons here. 

In terms of salaries, I have no issues when an American, British or Australian police is paid higher than the Nigeria Police. What I find amazing is how a Kenyan and a Ghanaian police earns much more than our police officers do. The comparison is alarming. 

What magic will the police do to perform as required with these resources??? 

The police takes the blame for a long systemic failure!