Abubakar expressed the fear that election security next year could also be at a risk because of inadequate funding.

While speaking before the senate committee on police affairs on Tuesday to defend the Police Budget appropriation for 2014, the IGP also provided a compelling detail on the history of poor funding for the Nigerian police.

From the figure reeled out by the Police chief, it seems less likely that the story of poor funding is about to change.

For this year, three-hundred-billion-naira is budgeted for the police. Personnel cost is put at two-hundred-and-seventy-nine-billion-naira. This however represents a deduction from what was appropriated last year.

According to the IGP, with the reduction, it will become extremely difficult for the police to attend to the welfare of police officers. He opined that salaries might have to be delayed or not paid fully.

The 2014 budget shows similar shortfall in the overhead cost, which includes money for the fueling and the maintenance of police patrol vehicles.

Speaking on the issue before the senate committee, the IGP said; “By our calculations, for us to be able to fund our vehicles which is about ten thousand, we will spend up to six billion per year if we are to give fifty litres. What we will give now is twenty litres.

“At the same time, Nigerians are expecting us to be our best.”

Even what is budgeted for capital projects is believed to be grossly inadequate for effective policing.

The situation is made worse as no allocation is made in the budget for Police Reform Fund.

The FG had single-handedly financed this fund since 2009. However from this year, the money for the Police Reform Fund is expected to come from 1% contribution from the federation account and counterpart funding at the state and local government levels.

This is still a constitutional matter pending in the National Assembly.

The Supervising Minister of Police Affairs spoke with AIT regarding the problems of inadequate funding for the police force and what that could mean for the force.

According to her, the issue “will be ratified”.

“As I said, it is the decision of NEC but we cannot wait for this process. The convention is that when all the parties have agreed on an issue, they can implement it in good faith knowing that it is for the benefit of the nation.”

It is a crucial year for the police as it plans for general elections next year. The police require funds for training as well as procuring equipment without which they cannot deliver on their set tasks and brace up to the challenge of terrorism in northeast Nigeria.

To cope and efficiently deliver these tasks, there may be the need to recruit additional officers.

These come at a cost the police say it does not have.