Police to recruit 10,000

Police authorities plan to admit some 10,000 recruits into police colleges before the end of the year, 'The Guardian' said.

Some 2,000 of the 4,000 now in training are expected to pass out and join the police workforce at that time, the newspaper said, adding that fewer than 500 have been paid salaries since January when police resumed recruitment after a four-year break.

The police owe recruits enlisted in January, April, May and June some five million naira (nearly US$50,000) and need about the same amount to provide basic facilities and logistics for more recruits, 'The Guardian' said.

The inspector general of police told commandants of police colleges last weekend to provide details of their needs to the authorities so that the Presidency and the Police Affairs Ministry can provide money for such items before the next recruitment, the newspaper reported.

Assistant Superintendent Paddy Ogon, spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, told reporters that the recruiting drive was an indication of the new administration's determination to meet the challenges facing the force under civilian rule.