The Police Affairs Minister, Caleb
Olubolade said on Tuesday that to
combat the recent challenges of
insecurity, terrorism, and
kidnapping in the country, the
Nigeria Police is set to be
professionalized.
Mr. Olubolade, who stated this
while presenting the ministry’s
scorecard in the last two years to
the national leadership of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in
Abuja, also demanded for more
funds to help the ministry carry out
its plans to reposition the police.
The minister, a retired Navy
Commodore, explained that his
focus as a minister is to provide
adequate and updated training for
the police personnel.
“We have to look at the police
intelligence gathering and training
which is key to our focus in this
administration. Police must be
given enough equipment and be
protected with bullet proof vests
for them to carry out their
assignments,” he said.
He also stated his ministry’s plan
to “raise the bar” by recruiting into
the police, degree holders
especially those with backgrounds
in the sciences.
“Fighting crimes is scientific and we
must raise the bar. That is why we
must raise the qualifications of
those who are coming to direct the
affairs of the force,” he said.
The minister said the Police Service
Commission, PSC, will take
advantage of the huge experience
of its new Chairman, Mike Okiro, a
former Inspector General of Police,
in the management of the affairs of
the force.
Mr. Olubolade also stated that
police is looking towards
strengthening “the concept of
community policing” in order to
tackle criminal activities at the
grassroots.
He, however, ruled out the
creation of state police, explaining
that the force as presently
constituted must be better trained
and equipped before creating
alternatives.
“We must make the present
arrangement work first. I’m of the
opinion that the present police
must be trained, their welfare
improved and equipments provided to them and this is the direction of my opinion now until we are assured that we are better and ready for the state police,” he said.
The minister disclosed to his hosts
that 1000 Close Circuit Television
(CCTV) have already been installed
in Lagos and Abuja and are ready
for commissioning by the
president, Goodluck Jonathan. He
added that the vice president,
Namadi Sambo, had already
inspected the cameras and
confirmed they were working.
The National Chairman of the PDP,
Bamanga Tukur, in his opening
remarks urged Mr. Olubolade to
take a look at the manifesto of the
ruling party and ensure that its
programs of security of lives and
property are implemented. Mr.
Tukur also asked the minister to
encourage and provide logistics for
community policing and also
checkmate recruitment exercise in
the police force “to avoid garbage
in, garbage out.”
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