By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The federal government has said that efforts aimed at re-engineering and re-equipping the Nigeria Police Force to tackle increasing and complex security challenges of the country remains top on its policy programmes.
In line with the efforts, Buhari disclosed that 40,000 police personnel have been recruited into the Force in the last four years to re-energize and increase the manpower to tackle rising security challenges in the country.
The President also said that he also granted accent to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, set up a Task Force on need evaluation of the Nigeria Police headed by Vice President Osibanjo to carry out an upward review of salaries and allowances of rank and file in a bid to boost the morale in the Force.
Represented by Minister of Police Affairs, Dr Maigari Dingyadi added that other efforts aimed at improving service delivery in the force by the FG include accenting to the Nigeria Police Regulatory Bill 2020.
The President commended the two arms of the National Assembly for their support to the Force and for the oversight functions that have assisted government to delivery on promises to Nigerians.
“Ladies and gentlemen, an opportunity for a professionally driven police force is critical to national cohesion and socio-economic development.
“It is in recognition of this that this administration has prioritized the reforms, re-equipping and re-engineering of the Nigeria Police, being the lead agency in the internal security architecture of our dear country.” He said.
The President commended the Nigeria Governors Forum for their support to the Police, Akwa Ibom State government for hosting the conference and expressed belief that the conference would engender a new policing focus and project a new united front against elements threatening the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba in his welcome remarks said the second Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers was borne out of leadership focus which emphasized capacity building as a pathway to re-invigorating strategic leadership capacity towards the enhancement of optimal police service delivery.
IGP Baba said the senior police officers would utilize the forum to review policing vision, mission and strategies as laid out following his appointment as the 21st indigenous Inspector General of Police as well to assess the Police reform initiatives of the Federal Government and the Force leadership.
According to him, any organisation without a vision is bound for failure, so the retreat would aligned the officers with the current and evolving policing and internal security realities.
The IGP said the conference would also avail the senior police officers an opportunity to broaden their knowledge on the cutten edge technology on new policing strategies.
“The 2022 edition is the second in the series and it is a follow-up to the 1st edition which was hosted by the Lagos State Government in 2019.
“The programme could not hold in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Retreat and Conference for strategic police managers was borne out of our leadership focus which emphasizes capacity building as a pathway to re-invigorating our strategic leadership capacity towards the enhancement of optimal police service delivery.
The IGP said the police would continue to explore all available strategies in guaranteeing security and safety of the of Nigeria according to the police mandate.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State urged the security agencies to go away with rivalry, collaborate and synergize to ensure effective and efficient security architecture.
Fayemi who doubles as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum advocated for what he described as a multi-level policing to ensure efficiency.
Fayemi however, gave the assurance that the governors were ready at all times to support the Police to enable them accomplish the task of securing the country.
“I want to assure you that the Nigeria governors are ready at all times to support you to enable you to accomplish a safe and secure environment for all Nigerians. I believe that we can achieve this with concerted efforts”, he said.
In his address on the event, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel urged the participants to evolve more proactive ways of addressing the security challenges in the Country, especially as the Nation prepares for the general elections next year.
Governor Emmanuel also urged the participants to look into reasons why more young people in the Country are involved in criminality now than before so as to firmly address the menace in order to safe the future since the youth are future leaders.
Describing the theme of the Conference and Retreat: The New Police Vision – A Road Map for stabilising Internal Security as apt, Governor Emmanuel also expressed optimism that the Conference would bring out a fertilised ideas that would enhance better policing, given the array of resource persons to the Retreat.
“As we move towards the election year, this Retreat cannot be more timely than now, therefore it is my believe that the Conference will bring out proper solutions through ideas generation to addressing the challenges of the time and for better policing of the Country,” he stated.
He pledged the state government continued support and cooperation to the police and other security agencies in state in view of their salient roles in states and national security.
The Governor thanked the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba for considering Akwa Ibom State suitable for hosting of this year’s Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers.
