Ahead of Monday’s National Security Summit in Abuja, some Nigerians have called for the overhauling of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to engender a robust security for the nation.

Those who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that community policing was pivotal in the effort of the force to deal with modern security challenges.

NAN reports that the summit, being organised by the NPF has the theme, ‘Community Partnership Approach to Internal Security and Crime Management.’

A security expert, Dr. Phillip Ujomu of the Department of Philosophy, University of Benin, identified major concerns that the summit should address.

“The summit should address the fundamental problems of the public image of the police, manpower, human rights, police welfare, community policing and police education.”

Ujomu said the police had a problem of perception that had robbed off on their self-perception and their perception by the public.

According to him, the image problem has enabled the general public to repose little or no confidence in the force.

“The police have a very serious public image problem. Consequently, the generality of Nigerians have little or no confidence in the police force.”

The don said the police were seen as unable to follow the rule of law adding: “They are not able to pursue fairness.”

At the level of policing, he said that the police had deficit in manpower.

“How can 400,000 policemen police a nation of about 150 million?

“A huge number of these are personal security to very important personalities (V.I.P).”

Ujomu recalled that Americans addressed the allocation of policemen as security details to V.I.P’s by creating the Secret Service for their protection.

He said that the summit should look into the problem of the quality of manpower in the force.

The don called on the summit to deliberate on the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in enhancing the work of the force.

He noted that the police had the lowest ICT compliance among the forces.

“The police stations themselves are not covered with CCTV. I am aware that they have upgraded their walkie talkie.

“The average police barracks is in shambles.

“These are not negotiable if we are going to have a modern progressive police force.”

The expert said the force was overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges before it and called for a vibrant community policing efforts to enable the police surmount its challenges.

He called on the Federal Government to look critically at the police agenda with the aim of overhauling it for effective policing.

“The Nigerian police force is overwhelmed. The Federal Government should look at the police agenda. They are jack of all trade and master of none.”

A civil servant, Mr. Abel Ebrimoni, said the summit should focus on the training and re-training of the rank and file to make them better in their job.

According to him, the police will do well in combating terrorism if its manpower is equipped with modern gadgets.

“The war against terrorism and internet fraud needs the deployment of modern technology for its prosecution.”

For Ms. Florence Achi, a business woman, the summit should come up with policies that will motivate the rank and file to bring out their best in the service of their fatherland.

Achi noted that a well-motivated force could be the magic wand that would turn the fortunes of the force for good.

NAN reports that the security summit was convened by the police hierarchy to find lasting solution to the myriad of security challenges facing the country.

The NPF Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the summit hoped to achieve, “enlightenment of strategic security stakeholders and citizens at the grassroots on their invaluable roles in national security architecture.

“This is with a view to engendering the spirit of security consciousness among all citizens, especially in the face of current national security challenges.” (NAN)

•Photo shows IGP

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