Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the sum of N13.3 billion to kick-start the Community Policing initiative across Nigeria.

Community Policing is one of the efforts of the Nigerian Government to tackle insecurity in the country.

The approval was disclosed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during a virtual meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday.

A statement by Laolu Akande, the media aide to the Vice President read,“As part of measures adopted to consolidate efforts aimed at containing the security situation in the country, the Federal Government has approved the sum of N13.3 billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative across the country.”

It was further resolved that “the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, with two other governors, meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Finance Minister and the Inspector General of Police to coordinate the proper utilization of the funding of the initiative.”

The National Economic Council (NEC) Ad-hoc Committee on Security and Policing, had noted in its report that engagement with stakeholders on the operationalization of community policing in the country was still on.

The statement added that “the Committee would be meeting further as the need arises to update the Council on the progress being made to address insecurity and criminality in the country.”

At the 95th NEC meeting which held on Thursday, 20th June 2019, the Council set up an Ad-Hoc Committee on Security and Policing which was headed by the Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi.

This development came after deliberations on the state of security in the country, especially the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North East and bandits in the North West and North Central.