Former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police Gabriel Achong has said that the’sidelining’ of the Nigeria Police Force is to blame for the country’s high crime rate.
He pointed out that the police are the official agency in charge of internal security but said that numerous other security firms have seized this function.
He further said that some people are profiting enormously from the instability in the country.
When 47 new Assistant Superintendents of Police were welcomed into the Officers’ Mess at the Zone 6 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Calabar, Achong gave the invocation.
He warned that because the country’s internal security measures have been undermined, robbers and other armed insurgents are having a field day in some regions.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Force is badly supported despite its strengths and ambitions.
“There is a lack of resources for the Nigeria Police. In spite of being marginalized, the police remain superior over the combined security forces.
Others are trying to usurp police authority. We have many security difficulties in Nigeria because they do not allow the police to act their duty. There has been a breach of internal security.
Armed insurgencies like Boko Haram, banditry, and herdsmen attacks will cease if the government simply lets the police handle internal security as they should.
“People are making money out of these criminalities just because the police are sidelined,” the ex-CP stated.
