Insecurity: Reps Want Volunteers In Police, Civil Defence

House of Representatives has urged the chairman, Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase and the inspector general of police, Olukayode Egbetokun to strongly consider outstanding members of the community policing constabulary scheme (volunteers) for recruitment into the Force during enlistment exercises.

It also asked the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) to strongly consider the outstanding volunteers for recruitment into the NSCDC during recruitment exercises.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi at plenary, yesterday.

Moving the motion, Gumi recalled that the police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi had stated in 2022 that the volunteers working and trained by the Nigeria Police are not direct employees or personnel of the Force but of their respective communities, hence not entitled to salary but allowances.

He said President Bola Tinubu gave approval for the annual recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the Force and the chairman of the Police Service Commission recently inaugurated an 11-man board saddled with the recruitment of police constables into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The lawmaker observed that the implementation of community policing strategies across the country was to focus on building strong ties between the police and members of the communities through interactions with local agencies and members of the public, thus creating partnerships and strategies for reducing crime and disorder.

“Conscious of the fact that the NSCDC was primarily established to protect lives, properties, and public infrastructure in conjunction with Nigerian police, and due to the shortage of manpower experienced in the Police Force, the institution relies on volunteers who complement the efforts of regular corps members to effectively carry out their assigned roles and functions.

“Cognisant of the need to prioritize experience as a tool in Police and Civil Defence Corps recruitments and consider employing members of the community policing constabulary scheme (volunteers) and NSCDC volunteers who have demonstrated commendable performance during their recruitment exercises,” he added.