The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, wednesday said that terrorism, kidnappings and other criminal activities were putting pressure on the limited logistics, manpower and other assets of the police.
In order to curb the security challenges, the IG said he introduced the community policing model, which he said involved the engagement of citizens in identifying and prioritising prevalent communal security threats as they affected their localities.
Speaking during a visit to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, by the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Maigairi, Adamu said the community policing officers would be deployed to complement the conventional policemen in law enforcement functions within their localities by performing low-risk and non-sensitive duties.
He expressed the belief that the policing framework would free police personnel that hitherto performed high-risk functions and enhance the police manpower profile in relation to deployment in frontline operational duties.
The IG said, “aside the threat of terrorism, we are currently grappling with series of high-profile crimes that constitute major threats to our national security. These include banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery, cybercrime, small and light arms proliferation and sundry transnational crimes.
“The dynamics of crime in the country has over time become increasingly complex due largely to the impact of technology, global terrorism, socio-economic variables and other security situations within the African continent. All these combine to put pressure on the limited logistics, manpower and other operational assets of the Nigeria Police.”