Use 60 percent of manpower for intelligence gathering, ex-judge urges police

By Usman Shuaibu.

The police should use 6% of their manpower for intelligent gathering rather than mobilizing personnel where they cannot get information from the public because of the fear of intimidation, the retired judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court of Justice, Justice Mwada Balami has said.
Balami, stated this while delivering a welcome address during the police award ceremony of the Gwagwalada Police Division Headquarters, held at the Brifina Hotel Gwagwalada.
He said; “The issue of arrest and investigation should also be looked into more closely and the police should use modern methods of investigation by intelligent officers for prosecution to avoid loss of cases in court and guide against the violation of human rights”.
His words; “There is the need to employ more police officers and equipment as the ones on ground are very inadequate to police the large population of this country”.
He further added;” There is also the need to upgrade and computerize police formations and generate database for criminals”.
He, therefore, pleaded with police to change their mode of operation, cited that chasing criminals in a police marked vehicle with siren in such an manner as to give notice to the armed robber to take to his hills before the arrival of the police.
He expressed with dismay that the police as an institution whether they had made progress since its inception when compared to the old “Yan Doka” who did not carry arms but they were very effective in carrying out their duties.
According to Balami, there is need to fully fund the police from the local to the federal to alleviate some of their problems like transportation and welfare.
He, however, appealed to the Government at all levels to continue to encourage as well as improve the concept of community policing in the interest of Nigeria citizens.