Cash crunch hampering fight against crimes - IG


Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris yesterday lamented that poor budget allocation was hampering the fight against violent crimes.



He spoke in Abuja when the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, led by its Chairman, Haliru DaudaJika, visited the Force Headquarters for oversight function.

Idris said capital budget was a far cry from the actual requirement to address security challenges, especially violent crimes, such as terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery as well as to ensure the maintenance of law and order.

He said: “The annual budgetary allocation to the Force, especially with regards to capital projects and overhead cost, do not reflect the enormous size, scope of responsibility and basic infrastructural requirements of the Force.”

Highlighting the budget performance for 2016, the IG said: “Arising from the limitations of funding occasioned by the budgetary constraints, most of the requirements that would enable the Force perform are never met.

“For instance, against a capital budget estimate of N331 billion proposed for the 2016 fiscal year, the Force was given an envelope of N16.1 billion while in respect of overhead cost, N9.25 billion was appropriated as against proposal of N90.6 billion.

“Allocations to the Force are grossly inadequate despite the increasing security challenges it has to contend with. It will be observed that in 2016, only 25 per cent of the appropriated fund was actually released, leaving a whooping sum of N21,080,454,000 not released as at December 31, 2016.”

Idris added: “The amount released and cash-backed in September, 2016 is being utilised for the payment of completed and ongoing projects. Of N16,107,272,000 appropriated for capital projects, only the sum of N4,026,818,000 (25 per cent) was released and cash-backed by the end of the year 2016.

“The non-release of appropriated capital budget has inhibited the Force from accomplishing its set objective of providing necessary tools and infrastructure for the enhancement of its operational capacity and capability.”

He lamented that the meager funds released has made budget planning and execution difficult.

To ensure internal security, the Force leadership said it needed to procure aircraft, vehicles, arms and ammunition and other tools.

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