AACS Fortnightly
(Mondays)
2nd January 2023

From the Chairman’s Desk,

Security & Policing – A First Charge on Budgets & Plans

The primary responsibility of the Government is to protect lives & properties, prevent crimes, and ensure the security of its people. Ultimately, this creates a peaceful environment that is conducive to generate wealth and prosperity. It is the principal and first charge expense on taxes around the world.

The killing of an unarmed pregnant lawyer on christmas day has reignited criticisms of the national authorities inability to rein in police excesses. Over 10 incidents of similar circumstances were recorded in the country last year, and it has remained an albatross that for a country as robust as Nigeria, none of these officers have been made to face consequences for these unbecoming actions. In contrast, 19 law enforcement officers were convicted for on-duty killings in the US in 2022. The critical duty of policing and security must start to get its pride of place in the nation. Improving the quality and discipline of the police is key, and ensuring their welfare and motivation is the foundation of creating the enabling secure environment for all other productive activities in the community.

AACS believes that recruitment policies, training, orientation and monitoring must be reviewed and improved to match international best practices. The proposed budget for Nigeria’s police operations in 2023 is estimated at ₦871bn ($1.95bn for a population of over 200m), compared to last year’s policing budget in South Africa ($6.2bn for 60m people), UK ($20.4bn for 67m people), and USA ($129bn for 332m people). It is obvious that standard policing welfare in the nation is inadequate, and kitting of the police is below par. For instance, basic support equipment like cameras at flashpoints, pepper spray, radios and modern tools such as tasers, drones, and an extensive criminal database must be looked at. These tools and improvements build capacity of the officers, and enhance accountability, as actions are tracked electronically. The stretch on the 371,800 Nigerian police officers to the large population must be attended to (1 officer to 540 people), and numbers close to the UN recommended 1 officer to 450 people needs to be achieved.

The fact is the nation has not been able to quantify the volume of economic losses that is attributable to poor security and the consequent decimation in the productive capacity of its people. These numbers are enormous, as a peaceful and secured environment is the minimum criterion for economic and productive activities, and that is why it is a first charge on taxes. Stemming the evils of poor security and effective policing is liken to taking out the roots of an undesired giant tree early, because the failure to do so would demand obeisance and sacrifices of a supernatural being if the tree fully sprouts.

Falil Ayo Abina

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