Oluwafunbi Bello 
Cardinal John Onaiyekan
ABUJA, Nigeria – Catholic Cardinal John Onaiyekan on Thursday criticised the Federal Government’s plan to recruit 20,000 police officers, arguing that Nigeria should prioritise equipping existing personnel rather than expanding the force.
Speaking at the 9th International Conference on Love and Tolerance in Abuja on Thursday, the Cardinal said training thousands of new recruits could take a year, whereas the country’s security challenges require urgent action.
He maintained that providing existing officers with better tools, welfare and deployment strategies would deliver more immediate results.
He also raised concern about officers assigned to non-essential duties, urging their redeployment to frontline security roles.
The Cardinal called for joint efforts between Christians and Muslims to confront rising insecurity, noting that both communities face shared risks.
The conference, organised by the UFUK Dialogue Foundation and themed “Bridging Divides: Building Trust in a Polarised World,” brought together religious leaders, civil society groups and policy experts.
Former Senator Shehu Sani cautioned against shrinking civic space, while UFUK President Emrah Ilgen stressed the importance of dialogue in rebuilding trust. Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, expressed optimism that Nigeria’s divisions can be overcome through sustained engagement.
The Federal Government recently announced the planned recruitment as part of measures to strengthen security agencies amid persistent instability across several regions.
Cardinal Onaiyekan Faults Plan to Recruit 20,000 Police Officers
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Koko Maxwella 
Hussaini Ibrahim