From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano and Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has said the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) needs to produce officers with discipline and modern disposition towards their duties.
President Buhari, who spoke on Thursday while commissioning 628 Cadets of the Regular Course II of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, also advised the force to uphold the trust the Nigerian public reposed in it.
The President, who was the guest of honour, urged the police to be gallant and courageous in the fight against crimes in the country.
In a statement by his Special Adviser (SA) on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President reaffirmed that his administration would continue to work hard to make Nigeria safe and secure for the residents.
Stressing that the NPF remained a critical pillar of his administration’s domestic security agenda, the President said it was important to have “orderly, disciplined and modern police officers”.
He said: “As you attain this milestone, I implore you to operate professionally, gallantly and courageously as we continue to make Nigeria a safe and secure country for all law-abiding individuals. You will soon commence your operational duties.
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“Therefore, you must always remember that Nigeria and indeed, Nigerians have entrusted to you the assignment to protect their lives and property.
“This trust must be taken very seriously while upholding the principle of civil policing, leveraging on national and international best practices.
“On our part, we will continue to fund and support the Nigeria Police Force and its institutions to ensure you deliver on your mandate. This is why we created a dedicated Ministry of Police Affairs.
“Finally, I will like to acknowledge the command and the entire academic community for a job well done in grooming the next generation of senior police officers. I urge all to sustain this effort…”
President Buhari, who congratulated the cadets on successfully passing through the rigorous academic and professional training in the institution, said the academy was established to produce superior police officers equipped with the knowledge and skills to police Nigeria with its unique complexities.
The academy’s Commandant, Zanna Ibrahim, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), urged the President to provide more financial support to the academy to enable it cope with modern law enforcement strategies.
The commandant also sought the support of the President for the Police Academy Bill currently before the National Assembly, saying the proposed legislation would assist the academy to fulfil its objectives.
He announced that the Academy will soon introduce courses on cybercrime, gender issues, criminal justice and administration, public security, intelligence as well as peace and conflict resolution.
He said the introduction of these courses will justify the upgrade of the Academy to a university and “also contribute meaningfully to the minimisation, if not, the eradication of the security challenges facing the country”.
A major highpoint of the passing out was the presentation by President Buhari of a sword of honour to the best graduating cadet officer, Peter Alogo Joseph, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
The President also decorated a graduating officer, Lawal U. Abdullahi, to symbolically commission the 628 cadet officers to ASPs in the NPF.
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