President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday commissioned the newly renovated Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Complex located at Area 10, Garki, Abuja.
Represented at the event by Vice President Namadi Sambo, Jonathan said the project was significant and in furtherance of his administration’s resolve to effective policing of lives and property of all citizens across the country.
According to him “It showcases the resolve of government to provide an enabling environment for the security of lives and property of Nigerians and that the necessary support infrastructure is also provided aimed at improving efficiency and welfare of the Police Force.”
The President commended the Inspector General of Police and his team for their efforts at repositioning the Nigeria Police Force for greater service, and also for carrying out the project at a reasonable cost. He charged the Police Force on proper maintenance of the building, which he described as beautiful.
“It goes a long way to demonstrate the resolve and desire of the Inspector-General of Police for a modern and well-motivated Police Force. It is my advice that strict code of maintenance should be put in place and vigorously enforced to ensure that the building stands the test of time,” the President said.
President Jonathan while reiterating government’s support to the Nigeria Police Force, implored Nigerians to rally round the Force in their arduously task of protecting lives and property of the citizenry.
In his remarks, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade commended the IGP and his team for executing the project in record time. He observed that the building would provide the enabling environment for officers and men of the Force to carry out the task of checking crime and criminality in the society.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, said the project was part of the Police management team’s determination to provide decent and conducive environment for officers and men of the Force for effective and efficient policing.
The IGP used the opportunity to express the gratitude of the Police Force to President Jonathan and Vice President Sambo for their untiring support to the Force. He charged the Police Force to respect the rights of suspects, stressing that all cases of violence against women and children should be accorded high priority.
The newly renovated FCID Complex was initially the Force Headquarters, when Nigeria’s Federal Capital, was moved from Lagos to Abuja in 1992.
Present at the event were Service Chiefs, heads of paramilitary organisation, and other security agencies, former Inspectors-General of Police, serving and retired officers and men of the Force and other top government functionaries.