The Nigeria Police Force has sought the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to strengthen science and technology-driven policing to tackle emerging security challenges across the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, in Abuja.
Disu said education, research and technology remained critical to building a modern, professional and intelligence-driven police force capable of responding effectively to evolving security threats.
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“Policing has gone beyond stereotypes. We want to be scientific. We need specialists in forensics, criminology, cyber security and data analytics. We want research-driven policing supported by advanced technology,” the IGP stressed.
The Police Chief said the force was repositioning its training institutions to align with global standards, adding that the proposed police university in Ogun State would advance ongoing reforms within the force.
According to him, education remained central to improving professionalism and addressing public complaints against police personnel.
“We realise that we cannot do our jobs without education. If you notice any lapses in what the police do, all the complaints we have against the police boil down to education,” he stated.
Disu noted that the future of policing depended on innovation, professionalism and strategic partnerships.
He disclosed that the force already had officers trained in artificial intelligence, drone operations and crime analytics, noting that predictive policing techniques were increasingly being deployed to anticipate criminal activities.
“We are doing analytics in policing. We can predict crimes happening. At the end of the year, for example, we notice increases in fraud, accidents and other crimes. These are things that data and research help us to understand and prevent,” he explained.
Academic Infrastructure
The IGP appealed to TETFund to sustain intervention in academic infrastructure, ICT facilities, laboratories, research centres and staff development programmes for police institutions nationwide.
He also called for support towards the expansion and modernisation of police educational institutions, stressing that professional development remained key to improving service delivery and public confidence in the force.
