The federal government on Thursday approved N13.3billion for the take-off of the Community Policing initiative across Nigeria.
The initiative was part of efforts by President Muhammad Buhari’s administration to tackle the heightened insecurity in the country.
Former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had on September 16, 2017 in Abuja, launched the community policing re-engagement strategic guidelines in what the police chief described as a proactive approach to policing. He said then that active engagement of local communities would help reduce crime and anti-social behaviours in Nigeria.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the funds for the community policing during a virtual meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday.
He said: “As part of measures adopted to consolidate efforts aimed at containing the security situation in the country, the Federal Government has approved the sum of N13.3 billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative across the country.”
A statement by media aide to Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, explained that Council resolved at the meeting that “the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, with two other governors, meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Finance Minister and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the proper utilization of the funding of the initiative.”
The NEC Ad-hoc Committee on Security and Policing, headed by the Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi was set up during the 95th NEC meeting held on June 20, 2019.
The ad-hoc committee was set up after deliberations on the state of security in the country especially the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.
The statement added: “the Committee would be meeting further as the need arises to update the Council on the progress being made to address insecurity and criminality in the country”, the VP’s aide said in the statement.