If we are really going to take security serious in Nigeria then we need a revamping, an upgrade of the Nigerian police.
According to Wikipedia, the population of the police force is 371,800.
That’s a ratio of 1 police man to 484 Nigerians (Assuming population is 180m).
We’ll be deceiving ourselves if we actually believe that a police force of 371,800 will secure the lives of Nigerians in 36 states of the federation, in both rural and developed areas.
Let’s also remember that the high and mighty in the society, have a minimum of 5 police officers attached to them for personal security, which further reduces the number to cater for the entire populace.
A country where electricity isn’t 24hrs is a looming disaster. Adding lack of adequate security personnel makes it a ticking time bomb.
We need to do better, these are the basics, security of lives.
The shortage in security explains why we have several armed bandits all over the country in remote areas. When you are alone at night with no light and no security from the Govt, you have no other option than to protect yourself how best you can.
The negative effect of having personal securities set up by the people is that often times, they resort to jungle justice. So many innocent Nigerians have lost their lives because of jungle justice, remember ALUU 4?
If the entire police force is deployed to every rural and remote area in Nigeria, there will still be a shortage in those areas.
The entire security framework is faulty and will remain faulty for as long as we keep living this joke we call the Nigerian police Force.
Of what benefit are intelligence reports when we don’t have available men on ground to avert killings?
This issue of herdsmen, farmers, Armed bandits etc, taking the lives of Nigerians on a daily, calls for some deep reflection by every security stakeholder in Nigeria.
We simply do not have enough man power in the Police to prevent many of these attacks.
It is really unfair that we have left fellow Nigerians in villages, remote areas, rural areas, at the mercy of criminals, who can wipe out an entire village, burn it down, and succour won’t arrive till hours late when day breaks.
Do you know how it feels to be under attack with no help? The only help that comes is when everyone is dead and your homes are burnt down.
That’s what Nigerians face is remote villages. Is it a crime to be Nigerian? Is it a crime to live in remote villages?
We really need to do more as a country. Security is the primary purpose of any Govt. Perhaps we need to start considering state policing, it’s time to invest heavily in the Police, more hands are needed, more trainings, more arms.
Many of these deaths can be prevented.
