The Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, says the force is increasing its manpower, as it is embarking on the recruitment of 20,000 police officers.
The officers are to be based in their local government areas of domicile where they will be deployed to fight banditry effectively.
Baba said this while on a one-day working visit to Katsina State.
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He also told Governor Aminu Masari, during a courtesy visit, that the strategy of employing indigenes of the local government areas will not only help in fishing out the bandits but will help to eliminate issues of informants, who jeopardize the efforts of the security agencies.
The move according to the Inspector General of Police, is to consolidate on the Community Policing initiative.
The Inspector-General of Police said the renewed resurgence of banditry in the Northwest is worrisome, especially their daring methods of operations.
He said the police under his watch have devised new strategies to combat it.
Part of the strategy is the recruitment of 20,000 police officers at the local government areas of the country, who will be trained on various aspects of policing, including intelligence gathering.
Baba also said, the police are reviewing its carrot and stick approach, by collaborating with the judiciary, to ensure effective and timely justice delivery to bandits, who are under prosecution, saying, adequate execution of cases will serve as a deterrent to others and eliminate banditry.
He, therefore, called on the people, especially the locals, to disabuse their minds of serving as informants to bandits.
Governor Aminu Masari welcomed the idea of recruiting and deploying indigenes of local governments in the police force, which will complement what the state government has done, by recruiting and training vigilante members.
Masari while appreciating the efforts of the police in combating banditry in the state, further restated his stance to the people, on acquiring arms and defending themselves against bandits, saying, security is everybody’s business.
The Governor, therefore, urged the Inspector General of Police, to widen the scope, by acquiring modern technology, to effectively fight banditry with less manpower, which is the challenge facing the force.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
