The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, has urged the National Assembly to allocate funds for full takeoff the five newly created zonal commands of the police, as well as operations of special squads within the force in the 2022 budget.
The IGP made the plea Wednesday when he appeared before the Joint Senate and House of Representatives committee on police affairs.
According to him, the zonal headquarters recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to include zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo-Dunukofia, Awka-Anambra state; zone 14 Headquarters, Katsina; zone 15 Headquarters, Maiduguri, one 16 Headquarters, Yenegoa and zone 17 Headquarters, Akure, were yet to fully commence operations due to budgetary challenges.
On the special squads, the IGP prayed for approval and allocation of “funds for the operations of the Nigeria Police Special Operational and Tactical Units including the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Special Forces (SF), and Special Tactical Squads (STS) with a view to enhancing their critical internal security operations”.
He said the removal of the Nigeria Police from the envelop budgetary regime to enable the Force properly project its funding requirements for budgetary appropriation, operational planning and optimal service delivery.
He further prayed for adequate funds for the newly established Special Operations Account of the Force to enable the Nigeria Police effectively and promptly respond to unanticipated national security emergencies and to support on-going special operations across the country .
Consideration of details of the proposals in the police budget was, however, done behind closed doors, for in the words of Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on police affairs, Bello Kumo “because of the sensitive nature of the security agency”.
