Policing Nigeria: Can Azazi be right?

Vanguard

3 February 2012

Policing Nigeria: Can Azazi be right?

NIGERIA with a total land area of 356667 square miles and an estimated population of 167 million people according to the international security indicators requires about 2-4 policemen per 1000 population; a minimum of 334,000 to 668,000 policemen to effectively maintain law and order under normal circumstances.

But in an abnormal situation where the country has to contend with terrorism, internal political disagreement or uncertainties and social disparities that have not been fully addressed, General Owoye Azazi may be right over his truthful and 'uncomforting' comment about the capacity of 'policing the whole Nigeria at the same time'.

And his prognosis that Nigeria needs to put in place further structural requirements to meet a strategy of effective national security along with other composite requirements that enables rule of law to blossommight also be timely.