Rita Enemuru, Reporting
The Advisor, Police Programme, GIZ, Africa and security expert, Idris Bawa, says funds meant for the Nigeria Police should be decentralised in order to tackle effectively the insecurity in Nigeria.
The security expert also advocated continued retraining for personnel of the force.
He was speaking on Monday at the day-one of a two-day training for the Nigeria Police on its role in the Implementation of Criminal Justice Act anchored by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation in Warri, Delta State.
Mr. Bawa noted that lack of proper documentation of Nigerians’ data was one of the key reasons for the incessant security issues plaguing the country.
Stating how the United States of America rescued its kidnapped citizen using intelligence gathering, he noted that it was only with enhanced training that the police would be able to tackle insecurity.
“We won’t be talking about much about insecurity if the police is well funded and trained, then insecurity can be dealt with effectively.
“We need to see how the police can be strengthened to work with lawyers in doing proper investigation and one of the ways to achieve insecurity is if the policemen are funded and well trained.
“One of the reasons why crime is still very rampant in this country is because we don’t have proper data of the people.
“If we have proper data of every Nigerian, once a case is reported to the police, investigation will be done thoroughly and then arrest will be made effectively.
“So we are here to see the role the police play in the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act from the state level to the federal level,” he said.
Mr. Bawa also mentioned that the use of “artificial intelligence” should be deployed in dealing with kidnappers and terrorists.
He said: “Intelligence now show that there are certain chemicals that can out people to sleep, except for those who are asthmatic.
“Apply these chemicals around these so that those that would be rescued could be rescued and brought out and those arrested could be persecuted.”
In his welcome address, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, represented by CSP Yakubu, said that the police was ready to identify with the NBA in its aspirations and fight towards liberating the masses and ensuring justice.
The Attorney-General of Delta State, Mr Isaiah Bozimo, was represented at the occasion by the Director of Public Prosecution Ministry, Mrs E.J Odogwu.
Other Prominent speakers on the theme of the event were former Deputy Director, Legal and Investigation, National Human Rights, Mr. Saka Azimazi and Secretary, National Rights Commitee, NBA, Bernard Onigah.
