Speaker Dogara

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Monday  gave what is unarguably a damning verdict on the Nigeria Police Force as the main organization saddled with the task of protecting the citizenry:  ill-equipped, improperly manned and too weak financially to perform its assigned duties.

Dogara spoke at the opening of a public hearing on a Bill to establish Security Services Welfare Infrastructure Development Commission in Abuja. He added that as such the job of ensuring the protection of Nigerians inside their own country has had to fall on the shoulder of the armed forces.

“The armed forces are doing a great job in maintenance of internal security currently as the Police are ill-equipped, improperly manned and too weak financially to perform their duties.

“It has also become necessary and urgent to re-examine the current architecture of policing in Nigeria to make it structurally strong and effective.

“The spate of insecurity, rampant kidnappings, terrorism, civil strife and threats to our corporate existence as a nation are too weighty and too important to be left unaddressed.

“As a government, we owe it a duty to ensure that Nigerians do not continue to die in their numbers since the most important constitutional duty of the state is the security and welfare of the people,’’ h said.

The Speaker however reiterated his support for proper equipping, staffing and training of the Nigerian Police to enable it to perform optimally.

The public hearing, organised by the House’s Committee on Defence, was to among other things, review the state of welfare and infrastructure of security services in the country.

According to the speaker, the House of Representatives is ready to play its part by working in concert with the executive toward proper funding and supporting of the Police to play its role.

He added that the armed forces also needed to be strengthened to face the numerous security challenges faced by the country, with adequate funding and necessary policy frameworks.

“Officers and men of the armed forces are doing their best in the fight against Boko Haram and other security challenges facing the country.

“There is no doubt that welfare and equipping of the armed forces with modern tools of war aided by technology is being undertaken by the current administration, but we need to do much more,” Dogara said.

The Speaker also assured that the House would play its part to support the repositioning of the armed forces to stem insecurity in the country.