Police Trust Fund Seeks N74bn for Operations

IG decries deplorable state of police barracks

By Kingsley Nwezeh

To fund its operations, the Police Trust Fund (PTF) is seeking the approval of N74 billion budget by the National Assembly for the 2021 fiscal year.

This is coming as the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkhali Baba, lamented the state of infrastructure in police barracks across the country which he said required urgent attention.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the IG in his office, the Executive Secretary of the PTF, Mr. Ahmed Sokoto, said the National Assembly approved N74 billion in the 2021 budget to enable the fund take off fully and fund its operations.

“To establish a new office is not easy. You need an office, staff and office equipment. National Assembly approved N74 billion for PTF in the 2021 budget.

“We will appear before the National Assembly next week to defend the budget. In no distant time Nigerians will feel the impact of PTF,” he said.

In his remarks, the IG lamented the deplorable state of police barracks and other infrastructure which he said required urgent attention.

He said it was imperative that police personnel stayed in a place where they could be mobilised for operations.

“Accommodation is an issue in our barracks that require urgent attention. Most of our buildings are bad. We have a lot of space (land) we can use.

“It is very critical that policemen are kept in one place so that you can mobilise them for work in the shortest possible time,” he said.

He pledged to cooperate with the PTF in realising the objectives of the fund.

“We are looking forward to all the goodies promised by PTF. We will be coming to you, cap in hand.

“We also look forward to your success because your success is our success; your happiness is our happiness. We will give you the required cooperation,” he said