By Felix Khanoba
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has declared that education, research and technology are central to building a modern, professional and intelligence-led police force capable of addressing Nigeria’s evolving security threats.
Disu made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, where he sought sustained support for the expansion and modernization of police educational institutions.
The police chief said many of the public complaints against officers stem from inadequate education and professional development within the force.
“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,” Disu said.
He stressed that modern policing now requires scientific and technology-based approaches rather than outdated stereotypes.
“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,” he added.
According to the IGP, the Nigeria Police Force is repositioning its training institutions to meet global standards, noting that the proposed police university in Ogun State would mark a significant step in the ongoing reform agenda of the force.
“The future of effective policing lies in education, innovation, professionalism and strategic partnership,” he stated.
Disu further disclosed that several police officers had already received training in artificial intelligence, drone operations and crime analytics, with the force increasingly adopting predictive policing methods 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 said.
The IGP appealed to TETFund to continue supporting police institutions through interventions in academic infrastructure, ICT facilities, laboratories, research centres and staff development programmes.
Responding, Echono assured the police leadership of TETFund’s continued collaboration, describing Disu as a highly professional officer whose reputation for excellence had long been established.
“TETFund has had a long history of collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force, and we will continue to strengthen that partnership,” he said.
Echono also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of a new campus of the Police Academy in Ogun State, with funds already released for its commencement.
“We have made funds available for the takeoff facilities, and our team will begin joint inspection and evaluation with the police team immediately,” he said.
He urged the police authorities to ensure the Ogun campus attains full university status within a few years to enable it benefit from direct annual intervention funding from TETFund.
“The moment the institution becomes a full-fledged university, it will begin to enjoy sustainable annual funding just like other beneficiary institutions,” he added.
Echono also pledged support for specialised training programmes for officers in areas including cyber security, technology and advanced investigations, stressing that crime had become increasingly sophisticated and technology-driven.
“The only way to keep pace with evolving crime is through continuous training, specialization and innovation,” Echono stated.
