Former Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro has warned that worsening economic conditions and inadequate welfare are eroding the capacity and morale of personnel in the Nigeria Police Force.
In an interview on ARISE News on Monday, Okiro lamented that many officers are struggling to cope with rising living costs, compounded by years of poor investment in policing infrastructure and staff support. According to him, “the police have been so neglected, no equipment, no power, no infrastructure, no welfare. That’s what I see now.”
He welcomed recent measures by President Bola Tinubu aimed at boosting police manpower, including the recruitment of thousands of new officers. Describing the move as timely, he said “the order to recruit more police officers, that’s a very good thing,” noting that expanding the workforce is essential because “the Nigerian population is growing every day.”
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However, Okiro stressed that expanding the force without fixing welfare challenges will not produce meaningful results. He argued that “the welfare is very important for any staff to work” and warned that “already the morale is down.”
He noted that inflation is hitting police officers particularly hard because their salaries have remained unchanged. He explained that “the price of things are high. The police is not able to market. They have to go to market too,” adding that “salary is not only police, everywhere, we need to give fresher salary, because we have limited time.”
Okiro insisted that meaningful welfare reform must be prioritised if the country expects improved security outcomes.
He warned that without better pay, housing, and support systems, police morale will continue to decline, leaving citizens exposed to rising insecurity.
