By Tony Adibe
The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Olatunji Disu, has said that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force would undergo improved retraining programs and acquire modern equipment to enable them to tackle effectively and efficiently the increasing security challenges in the country.
Disu said this while answering questions from journalists at the Command Headquarters in Enugu on Wednesday.
The visit, which was his first to the Command since his assumption of office in March 2026, provided an opportunity for the IGP to participate in the commissioning of the DNA/Forensic Centre built by the Enugu State government in partnership with the management of Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Ugwuomu-Nike, Enugu.
According to Disu, organising such periodic retraining programs for officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force would enhance professionalism in the utmost task to reduce insecurity in the country to its barest minimum.
Throwing more light on the retraining programs, which he said has become imperative, Disu, who also spoke on the police readiness to ensure adequate security in the 2027 elections, said: “We are embarking on comprehensive training for our officers and men to upgrade them to meet the demands of the new laws guiding our operational activities. As the lead agency in the election process, we know we must continually update our thinking and operational knowledge to meet contemporary realities.”
The IGP stressed the commitment of the Nigeria Police in collaboration with other security agencies, as well as other state actors such as Vigilante, Forest Guards, in fighting the menace of criminals in Nigeria.
He stated further, “We will continue to do our best alongside our sister security agencies to reduce insecurity. We have lost officers in the course of protecting Nigerians, but we remain committed to confronting criminality wherever it exists.”
Commenting specifically on the manpower shortage, which the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, earlier highlighted in his remarks as one of the key challenges facing the Enugu Command, Disu said it is a national problem. He, however, added that even as the Federal government has given a mandate to recruit an additional 50,000 police officers, his command is looking above that.
The IGP said: “The President approved the recruitment of 50,000 personnel because of the manpower challenges confronting the Force. Those recruits are already undergoing training across the country, and considering the current realities, the recruitment may even exceed that number.”
Earlier in his keynote speech, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr. Mamman Giwa, outlined some of the successes recorded in combating crimes and other crime-related activities within the state under his watch, despite the challenges. According to Giwa, the Enugu Command, with the assistance of the state government, has continued to work relentlessly in the arduous task of reducing the crime rate in the state.
Giwa, nonetheless, pleaded with the IGP for what he regarded as additional operational logistics, improved welfare packages, modern policing equipment, and increased manpower. He noted that some of “our men are transferred from the Enugu command without any replacement.”
He restated the command’s commitment to professionalism, intelligence-led policing, and stronger collaboration with communities and other security agencies in sustaining peace and security across Enugu State.
NewsBits before he visited Enugu State police headquarters for an interaction with officials of the command, the IGP participated in the commissioning of the Centre for DNA, Forensic and Criminal Investigation, located at Ugwuomu Nike, established by the Enugu State Government in partnership with Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu.
He commended Enugu state government and Godfrey Okoye university for the initiative, stating the centre will strengthen the capacity of the police and build citizens’ confidence in the system.
According to Disu, “For the Nigeria Police Force, this Centre represents enormous opportunities to strengthen investigations into homicide, kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery, sexual offences, human trafficking, missing persons, and other grave crimes.”
“This Centre will equally provide opportunities for specialised training, scientific research, professional development, and knowledge exchange that will continue to improve investigative standards across our police formations.”
“Citizens are more likely to trust the criminal justice system when investigations are transparent, impartial, and supported by credible evidence.”
Reputed to be the first of its kind in the entire West Africa subregion, the Enugu DNA centre is said to have the capacity to enhance forensic investigation, criminal intelligence gathering, and the administration of justice in Nigeria
