N8.6bn needed to recruit 10,000 policemen, says Okiro

Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Mike Okiro, has declared that N8.6 billion would be needed for the recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Okiro made this known in Abuja on Thursday at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Police Affairs.
The public hearing addressed issues of extra judicial killings, kidnapping and other crimes in the country.
Okiro recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, last year, directed the recruitment of 10,000 personnel to reposition and strengthen the country’s police force.
He said N339.4 million would be needed for overhead, N1.8 million for advertisement and N1.1 million for technical resources.
The PSC boss said that N179 million would be used for the renovation of training institutions, N3.4 million for feeding, N1 billion for accoutrement, and N118 million for teaching aids.
He said that N2.8 billion would be used for allowances and salaries, N61.2 million for teaching allowances and N450 million for arms and ammunition for shooting range.
Okiro said the commission would recruit 7,500 Constables, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 500 Cadet Assistant Superintendent and 1,500 ranks and file.
He said the recruitment would partly be dependent upon the readiness of the Police Training Schools and Colleges.
“As at today, the institutions are undergoing renovations and they are about 65 per cent completed.
“We have been assured that the institutions will be commissioned and ready for use by the end of June,’’ he said.
Okiro said the selection of candidates for the recruitment would be completed by June 30 and training would commence the first week of July.
Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, charged the commission on transparent process in the recruitment.
He said the commission should ensure that the most qualified candidates are recruited to curb the perennial security challenges in the country.
The speaker assured that the parliament would provide legislative backing towards addressing security challenges.