The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre has called on the Federal Government to ensure the adequate funding of the Ministry of Police Affairs.

The civil society organisation described the budgetary allocation to the ministry as poor.

Recall that the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, stated that the ministry would not be able to carry out its functions efficiently with the N3.5bn allocated to it in the 2023 Appropriations Bill.

Dingyadi, while defending the budget proposed by the ministry for 2023 before the joint Senate and House of Representatives in Abuja, said despite the outcry over the amount allocated in the 2022 Appropriations Act, there was no improvement in 2023.

He noted that the ministry was allocated N3.5bn out of a total budget of N871bn earmarked for the ministry and agencies under it.

According to him, the Nigerian Police Force got N805bn, while the Nigeria Police Trust Fund is to receive N57bn.

Commenting on the issue in an interview with newsmen, CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Musa, stated that adequate budgetary allocation with proper compliance to the budget would address the problem of inadequate personnel, equipment, and training in the Police Force and also remedy the rot in the ministry.

Musa said the situation would only leave the country wailing about insecurity without any solution.

“The country is under-policed. The Ministry of Police Affairs and the National Assembly need to rise to save the country from the lack of sufficient facilities and personnel in the Police Force.

“If the welfare of those in charge of our protection and security is well taken care of, then we can achieve more in security,” he said.

He explained that without modern facilities and technology, it would be difficult for the force to overcome new strategies engaged by insurgents.