The lingering dispute over the recruitment of policemen between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the police hierarchy have been resolved , the inspector general of police (IGP) Alkali Baba has disclosed yesterday.
He disclosed this in Minna Niger State while on a working visit to the state and was received by the state governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello represented by the deputy governor Ahmed Mohammed Ketso.
The dispute had impeded the recruitment of over 10,000 policemen into the force for over a year and had become subject of various legal interpretations.
The inspector general said now that the dispute is over recruitment will commence in earnest into the force saying that between now and 2022 no fewer than 20,000 men will be recruited to boost its manpower.
While declaring that “ By 2020, 20,000 men would have been added to the force”, Baba disclosed that training and retraining of officers and men of the force will now be given top priority .
Consequently, he said the police colleges will now be made more functional and trainees in the colleges will now eat and sleep there.
Baba also said that he is a member of a national committee looking into the accommodation of policemen and that 1500 houses are to be provided for the police between now and next year.
The inspector general disclosed that a committee is at present reviewing police pensions and welfare of officers saying that “we will work on our emoluments, and pensions we will work on our logistics.”