The Federal Government is repositioning the Nigeria Police Force to effectively battle terrorism and other crimes and criminality to a standstill.
President Goodluck Jonathan stated this on Saturday at the Passing Out Parade of Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police Course 25/2012 and Cadet Inspectors of Police Course 40/2012, at the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.
The President who noted that the task of maintaining the internal security of the country squarely rests on the Police said “As the lead Agency in Internal security, the Police must be effectively positioned to deliver on its mandate, and training and development are vital to achieving this. This is why this parade of the passing out of this 677 Police Officers of the ranks of Assistant Superintendents and Inspectors of Police is not only gratifying but auspicious,”
“Government is committed to ensuring continued improvement on the quality, capacity, and numerical strength of the human resource available to the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies. It is in pursuit of this objective that recently informed the recruitment of 9, 000 soldiers into the Nigerian Army,” he also added.
President Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, reiterated the determination of his Administration to battle terrorism to a standstill, saying ” For us as a Government, the challenge of terrorism remains a battle that we cannot afford not to win.”
He also added that “It has therefore become extremely imperative that all efforts and resources be deployed towards the achievement of that primary constitutional mandate, the provision of ‘security’ of lives and properties of our people.”
While commending the leadership of the police on its efforts at repositioning the Force to meet up with challenges of modern crime fighting and policing said “the task of protecting lives and property is a sacred mandate, and we are very committed to this cause.”
President Jonathan speaking to the graduating officers stated that the nation was looking up to them for safety and protection, saying “I call on you to apply yourselves diligently to your job and imbibe the ethics of your profession from your colleague in the field. If you keep to the straight path, I have no doubt that your future would be bright, and the sky would be your limit.”
Speaking earlier the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, observed that in the history of the Nigeria Police Force, it had never had it so good but under the President Jonathan administration, adding that to this end the President had approved the upgrading of the Institution to degree awarding, with the initial set admitted in 2013.
Other speakers including the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd), Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Paulinus Nwagwu and his House of Representatives counterpart, Usman Bello Kumo all charged the officers on professionalism in their conduct, while also urging the Federal Government for more funding for the Police Force.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of awards by the Vice President to officers that excelled during the course of the training, with ASP Ogoliegbune Ifeoma Joy as the best overall ASP, while Inspector Ilariogun Augustine Femi bagged the overall cadet inspector award.
Vice President Sambo on behalf of President Jonathan performed the commissioning of the graduating officers and also used the opportunity to inspect projects in the Academy.
