February 08, (THEWILL) – In her efforts to re-energise and improve the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to tackle increasing security challenges in the country, the Federal Government has recruited 40,000 police officers in the last four years.
President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this on Tuesday in Uyo, while declaring open a two day retreat for senior police officers, saying he also granted assent to the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and carried out an upward review of salaries and allowances of rank and file in a bid to boost the morale of the Force.
Buhari, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Police Affairs, Dr Maigari Dingyadi, added that other efforts aimed at improving service delivery in the force initiated by the FG include, a Task Force on need evaluation of the Nigerian Police headed by Vice President Osibanjo and assent to the Nigerian Police Regulatory Bill 2020.
The President, who commended the two arms of the National Assembly for their support to the Force, assured that the FG would continue to accord priority to efforts aimed at re-engineering and re-equipping the Force to tackle increasing and complex security challenges of the country.
“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 prioritised the reforms, re-equipping and re-engineering of the Nigerian Police, being the lead agency in the internal security architecture of our dear country”, he said.
The President commended the Nigerian 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 emphasised capacity building as a pathway to re-invigorating strategic leadership capacity towards the enhancement of optimal police service delivery.
Baba said the senior police officers would utilise 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 align the officers with the current and evolving policing and internal security realities.
The IGP said the conference would also be available to the senior police officers and an opportunity to broaden their knowledge on the cutting 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 be held 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 emphasises 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 Nigeria according to the police mandate.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, urged the security agencies to do away with rivalry, collaborate and synergise to ensure effective and efficient security architecture.
Fayemi who doubles as the Chairman of Governors’ Forum advocated for what he described as a multi-level policing to ensure efficiency.
He, however, gave the assurance that the governors were ready at all times to support the Police to enable them to accomplish the task of securing the country.
“I want to assure you that the Nigerian 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 speech, 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 save 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 expressed optimism that the Conference would bring out a fertilised ideas that would enhance better policing, given the arrays of resources persons to the Retreat.
“As we move towards the election year, this Retreat cannot be more timely than now, therefore it is my belief that the Conference will bring out proper solutions through ideas generation to address 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 the 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.
About the Author
