The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command yesterday lamented inadequate personnel and equipment which it said hampered the command’s ability to fight crime in a five million population.

The command has battled bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, armed robbers and other criminalities with inadequate manpower and equipment in spite of the existence of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund which recently procured a controversial N11billion equipment for the police.

Speaking while receiving the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, who was on tour of the command, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Babaji Sunday, called on the IG to provide it with 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), arms and ammunition, bullet proof jackets, ballistic helmets, 15 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 40 motorcycles and 1,500 walkie talkies.

Apart from inadequate personnel, Babaji said the command was in dire need of barrack accommodation for officers and men.

He also listed patrol vehicles, trackers, drones, APCs and tear gas smoke.

The police chief stated that in spite of the command’s inadequacies, it arrested 3,379 crime suspects.

He said the command which comprises six area commands, 44 divisional headquarters and 99 outstations/outposts arrested 32 armed bandits while 11 died during the raid of their camp, 22 armed robbery suspects popularly called “one chance”, who were all arraigned in court in addition to 162 other crime suspects.

He said 2,089 suspects were arrested from 1,638 reported cases of theft and stealing even as 53 victims of abduction were rescued.

“I wish to thank the Inspector-General of Police for finding time to visit the command despite your busy schedule and equally affirm the unalloyed loyalty, dedication, commitment to reduce crime and criminality to the barest minimum within the territory”, he said.

In his remarks, the IG said it was not possible to totally eradicate crime in the society but noted that it could be reduced to the barest minimum.

“We must device means of punishing crime as a deterent”, he said.

He assured the command of his determination to address their demands.

He said the police would soon commence training for personnel ahead of the 2022 general elections while further assuring them of his resolve to cater for their welfare. (THISDAY)

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