Former Inspector-General of Police Mike Okiro blames government for Nigeria's worsening insecurity
Former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, stated that the Federal Government contributes to Nigeria's insecurity by deliberately failing to adequately equip the police force. Speaking at the First Daily National Dialogue on Security in Abuja, Okiro described the police as the lead agency for internal security and argued that the government's failure to properly arm and support the force has undermined its capacity to tackle crime effectively. He lamented that the police are left to confront sophisticated criminal groups without necessary equipment like communication gadgets and armored vehicles. Okiro also highlighted a shortage of police personnel, noting that during his tenure as Chairman of the Police Service Commission in 2013, no recruitment had occurred for five years, leading to a loss of 59,730 personnel without replacement. He further criticized the lack of coordination among security agencies, stating that bureaucratic procedures often delay intelligence sharing. Also at the dialogue, former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, raised concerns about Nigeria's defense spending, noting that over three-quarters of the defense budget is consumed by personnel costs, leaving inadequate funding for military equipment, maintenance, and modernization. He added that Nigeria's total military expenditure remains below one percent of its Gross Domestic Product, and capital releases for military operations are significantly below approved allocations, citing that the
