Ex-Police Chief Alobi Warns Military Now Handles Police Duties Due to Force's Low Pay
Former FCT Police Commissioner Lawrence Alobi stated that Nigeria's military is now performing routine policing tasks because the Nigeria Police Force is critically under-resourced. Speaking to Arise News, Alobi declared the police are the 'poorest paid in the world' due to low salaries and government interference, which has damaged their professionalism and left them unable to respond to distress calls or gather intelligence effectively.
He explained that when police lack personnel, tools, and motivation—as evident in their current operational struggles—society bears the cost because effective security depends on intelligence derived from public information. Alobi urged immediate government action to boost police funding, staffing, and equipment, emphasizing that citizens can support security efforts by sharing useful information with agencies to prevent crime and uphold the law.
The former commissioner lamented that political interference undermines police integrity, potentially fostering dishonesty, and stressed that without adequate resources, the force cannot fulfill its constitutional duty under Section 14(b) to maintain national order.