Boko Haram: Police need N4bn to rebuild stations in North-East –Arase

From Kemi Yesufu and Fred Itua, Abuja

THE cost of the destruction caused by Boko Haram in the North-East continues to rise as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase said a tidy N4 billion is needed to re- build 56 police stations, formations and other important facilities.

Arase said this at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs yesterday in Abuja.

Speaking on the capacity of the police to combat terrorism, the IGP lamented that mobile police, who are currently working with the military, are highly unmotivated and hardly given credit for their work. He said: “A total of 56 police stations, formations and facilities have been destroyed by insurgents. The situation has greatly impaired efficiency, as it constitutes a major challenge to the capacity of the police within the formations.

“The total replacement value of the affected structures comes to about N4 billion for us to put those things back to shape.”

Speaking earlier, committee Chairman, Haliru Jika pledged the House’s commitment to ensuring that the police carry out their duties effectively.