Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Simon Okeke, says the Nigerian police force is not failing for lack of training , it is failing for lack of tools.
Speaking in a recent interview, Okeke identified inadequate resources and equipment as the core reason the police struggle to effectively tackle the country’s growing security challenges. “The problem is that the police is lacking in the necessary tools to do their job. They are not properly equipped to face the problem confronting them, security problem,” he said.
He was however quick to separate competence from capacity, noting that both the police and the military are well trained to carry out their respective responsibilities. The limitation, in his view, is not human , it is material.
Okeke expressed confidence in the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, describing him as well trained and capable of rising to the challenge. He expressed hope that the new IGP would prioritise securing the necessary provisions and resources that would ease the work of officers on the ground and position the force to perform more effectively.
