The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Defence College

  • Okosun takes charge as National Defence College Commandant

    Okosun takes charge as National Defence College Commandant

    Rear Admiral James Ohimai Okosun has officially assumed office as the 21st Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC), Nigeria.

    He takes over from Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Morakinyo Olotu, who concluded his tour of duty after a successful tenure.

    Rear Admiral Okosun began his military journey at Air Force Military School, Jos, and was later admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, as a member of the 40th Regular Course. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

    A seasoned naval officer and marine engineer, Rear Admiral Okosun has attended several military courses vital to his professional development. These include the Officers’ Application Course at the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele; the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji; as well as the National Defence Course at the prestigious Nasser Higher Military Academy, Cairo, Egypt.

    In the course of his career, he has held several operational, instructional, technical, and command positions. These include Marine Engineering Officer onboard NNS ERINOMI and NNS OLOGBO; Directing Staff and Chief Instructor at AFCSC, Jaji; and Directing Staff at the NDC.

    He also served as Assistant Director for Air Engineering at Naval Headquarters (NHQ) and Assistant Director Platforms at the Defence Headquarters, Command Technical Officer at Western Naval Command, and Officer-in-Charge of Fleet Support Unit NNS PATHFINDER.

    Read Also: Graduation of course 21 of the National Defence College

    Rear Admiral Okosun has also held senior management and strategic roles, including appointments as General Manager (Yard Services) and General Manager (Production) at the Naval Dockyard Limited. He served as Commander of Fleet Support Group (East), Director of Marine Engineering at NHQ, Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies at the Naval War College, Nigeria, and Commandant Nigerian Navy Institute of Technology, Sapele. Before his current appointment, he was Director of Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation at NHQ.

    He holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management and is a Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM). His decorations include the Grand Service Star (GSS), Pass Staff Course Dagger (psc), and Distinguished Fellow Defence College (fdc).

    A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the National Defence College, Captain Muhammad Tukur Muhammad, said the new commandant is also a Distinguished Eminent Fellow of the Naval War College.

    With his broad spectrum of expertise, leadership acumen, and strategic insight, Rear Admiral Okosun is set to steer the NDC into a new era of excellence, reinforcing the College’s role as Nigeria’s apex institution for strategic military education and policy development.

  • Gender mainstreaming key to reducing civilian casualty during conflict, says NDC commandant

    Gender mainstreaming key to reducing civilian casualty during conflict, says NDC commandant

    The Commandant of the National Defence College Nigeria (NDC), Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, has emphasised that the effective integration of gender perspectives into security policies, operations, and institutional frameworks in line with the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 will go a long way in curtailing the impact of security threats on civilians.

    He said to achieve this goal, it is vital to address the challenges faced by Gender Focal Officers and provide them with the necessary tools and support to succeed.

    Rear Admiral Olotu said this on Monday at the opening ceremony of a five-day Training of Gender Focal Officers in Security Sector Institutions (Course 3), organised by the NDC in collaboration with UN Women, in Abuja.

    He said the contemporary security landscape requires inclusive approaches in curtailing the impact of security threats on civilians, especially women and children, who remain the most vulnerable during armed conflict.

    Read Also: CDS to commanders: think critically, make tough decisions, act decisively to end terrorism

    According to him, armed conflicts such as insurgencies, terrorism, as well as other humanitarian crises disproportionately affect women, children, and other vulnerable groups, making it imperative for security institutions to develop gender-sensitive policies and operations.

    He said: “The adoption of UNSCR 1325 and subsequent resolutions underscores the need for women’s participation in peace and security processes, reinforcing the importance of gender mainstreaming at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

    “Gender focal officers play a crucial role in integrating gender perspectives into security policies, operations, and institutional frameworks in line with the UNSCR 1325 and related global commitments.

    “However, many face structural and operational challenges, including limited resources, unclear mandates, and inadequate training. This Training is designed to equip you with the necessary tools, skills, and strategies to effectively drive gender-responsive reforms within your respective institutions.”

    Earlier, the Course Director, Dr. Jumoke Jenyo, said Gender Mainstreaming is not about favoring one group over another it is about creating a system where both men and women contribute fully and benefit equitably.

    “It is about ensuring that security institutions reflect the diversity of the societies they protect, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness, trust, and legitimacy.

    “To achieve this, we must address the social and institutional barriers that hinder progress.

    The Program Specialist, Peace and Security, UN Women, Peter Mancha, who represented the UN Women Country Representative, said the project was initiated based on the gender gaps.

    According to him, societal norms have long defined rigid roles for both men and women, placing unnecessary limitations on their contributions.

    “Because of several factors, like patriarchy and discriminatory practices, women are largely excluded in peace-building processes. But that should not be so. Women should not just be seen as victims of violence, but an individuals that can contribute to sustainable peace and security,” he said.

  • NDC commandant to Course 32 participants: respect democratic authority

    NDC commandant to Course 32 participants: respect democratic authority

    The Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC), Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, has advised graduating participants of Course 32 to always respect and uphold democratically elected government and constitutions of their countries.

    He also urged them to always imbibe the spirit of teamwork to ensure national security.

    Olotu spoke at a dinner organised in honour of the graduating participants at the NDC yesterday Abuja.

    The commandant urged the graduating participants to also engage their negotiation and decalogue skills to solving problems, as exemplified during the Higher Defence Management Module of the course.

    He said: “Additionally, knowing that kinetic actions in themselves are not a means to an end in modern conflict. The need to embrace the whole of society approach in problem solving cannot be overemphasised. This inevitably underscored the necessity for integrated thinking, planning and execution.

    “I will like to also reiterate to the graduating participants on the need to always remember that strategic leadership demands that you build a successful team. You must have been told severally that you are as strong as your weakest link. This philosophy is reflected in the group base exercises you carried out during your training in the college.

    Read Also: NDC canvasses use of sports to unite Nigerians

    “For a long time, however, team work has been narrowly understood to mean intra-service activities. You must leave here thinking of yourselves as officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, or Armed Forces of your various countries, for our international participants, as opposed to Army, Navy or Air Force officers.

    “Additionally, going by the nature of today’s warfare, the need to keep tap on your contemporaries from other security agencies, ministries, departments and agencies is extremely important.

    “Of course, I do not need to remind you that the world is a global village. This underscores the need to constantly liaise with your colleagues from other countries. You must, therefore, be prepared to think, act, plan and operate jointly.

    “I must also add that as you graduate and deal with your excitements and doubts today, I urge you to try and create a world good enough for you and everyone to live in.”

  • ‘The art of domestic policing, by IG

    Text of a lecture delivered by Acting Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed to Course 27 Participants of the National Defence College, Abuja at the college auditorium on 7th February, 2019

    It is my honour and privilege to present this paper on behalf of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Abubakar Adamu Mohammed NPM, mni, who directed me to convey his candid apology for not being able to be here to personally deliver this lecture. He also sent his warm greetings and asked me to sincerely thank the Commandant for inviting him to deliver this lecture on “Nigeria Police: Challenges and future perspectives” to these distinguish participants. There is no doubt that no topic would have been more apt at this period of our national history than the one in question.

    The aim of this paper is to acquaint the participants with adequate knowledge of the Nigeria police Force (NPF).

    Outline of the Paper

    1. a) History and evaluation of the Nigeria Police Force
    2. b) Organizational Structure of the Nigeria Police Force
    3. c) Roles, Mission and Powers of the Nigeria Police
    4. d) Domestic policing, with emphasis on community policing
    5. e) International policing/ Police and Peace Support Operations
    6. f) Constraints to Nigeria Police Operational Efficiency
    7. g) Future Perspectives and Policy Direction
    8. h) Conclusion

    History and Evaluation of the Nigeria Police Force

    Historically, the establishment of a police force in Nigeria could be traced to the formation of a 30-Man Contingent in June 1861 in Lagos. The then Consular General, John Beecroft, appointed a 30-Man group of officers named the Consular Guard, with the permission of the British Government. This was to aid him in the discharge of his numerous administrative duties, some of which he regarded as police duties. This Consular Guard was renamed the “Hausa Guards” in 1863 and consisted of 600 men following an additional enlistment of run-away slaves captured at Jebba by Lieutenant Glover R. N. The Guard subsequently increased in capacity to 1,200 men due to the recruitment of new officer mainly of Hausa origin, all commanded by an Inspector General of Police. This Guard was saddled mainly with military duties as well as some civil duties, dealing with internal disturbance and external aggression.

    In 1894, the Niger Coast constabulary was established in Calabar under the Niger Coast Protectorate. It was modelled after the Hausa Constabulary but with greater emphasis on the military role. During its six years of existence, the constabulary was mainly engaged in active service and formed the major part of the Expedition against Benin in 1896. Like the Hausa Constabulary, Lagos Police Force was established on 1st January, 1896 and named the “Lagos Constabulary”. It had a Commissioner, two Assistant-Commissioners, a Superintendent, a Pay Quarter, a Master-Tailor and 250 other ranks. The Commissioner was a Sheriff (i.e. officer in charge of process). Inspector of weight and measure was also in charge of prison. This Force was armed and operated mainly in Lagos area while the “Hausa Constabulary” operated in the hinterland. In 1906, three separate Police Forces existed in Nigeria; the Lagos Police Force, the Northern Police Force and the Southern Police Force.

    Indeed, even at amalgamation in 1914, Nigeria did not have a unified Police until 1930 when all the three Forces were merged to form the Nigeria Police Force, with NPF as its acronym. The Force was under the command of Mr Duncan, as the Inspector General. The new Police Force was saddled with military duties as well as civil Police duties, dealing with internal disturbance and external aggression. The title, “Inspector General” was dropped for “Commissioner of Police” in the year 1937 as the Command Head of the Nigeria Police Force. Following the administrative division of the country into; East, West and Northern Regions, the Force was divided in 1947 and the office of an Assistant Commissioner of Police was created and appointed in each region. With the introduction of a new constitution in 1952, the Nigeria Police was again under the leadership of an Inspector General assisted by a Commissioner in charge of each of the regions.

    As Nigeria became a Republic on the 1st of October, 1963, the Nigeria Police continued to be administered on a Federal basis as it was promulgated in the Republican Constitution. Pursuant to the Military take-over of government in January 15, 1966, the country was divided into twelve States on 27th May, 1967. Subsequently, the Nigeria Police made necessary adjustments by establishing a Police Area Command in each of the States under the authority of Commissioners of Police. With the further creation of additional States, the structure changed to thirty-six States, and the Federal Capital Territory.

    It is imperative to note that even after the mergers of the Forces, under the colonial rule, the Nigeria Police still performed the vast majority of its duties under Local Governments. Thus, they were working under Native Authorities. However, at Independence in 1960, and under the first republic, the Nigeria Police initially worked on regional basis (territorial premise) before it was changed to the National Police. From thereon, the Police Force has experienced expansion, modernization and a couple of changes in nomenclature.

    The NPF, which at independence numbered approximately 12,000 was chronically underfunded (CLEEN Foundation, 2008). This, in addition to low manpower, was due to lack of equipment to perform. Equipment and facilities were poorly maintained, and with time, obsolete equipment such as those of communications were not upgraded to modern international standards. In addition, police remunerations were absolutely at their lowest, prior to the present democratic dispensation 1999. The numbers of police officers were not commensurate to the growing population of the country. At the advent of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, there were only 112,000 Policemen and women policing the Country of approximately 119.3 million then.

    Organisational Structure of the Nigeria Police Force

    The structure of the NPF is provided for under Section 214 (2) (a) and 215(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. It is designed to work in a multi-divisional form, although the operational structure has recently evolved in a matrix form with the combination of many other structures. Section 215 (2) of the Constitution states that:

    The NPF shall be under the Command of the Inspector-General of Police and any contingents of the NPF stationed in a State shall be subject to the authority of the Inspector-General of Police, and under the command of Commissioner of Police of that State.

    From the above provisions, three different structures: Command (Authority) Structure; Administration Structure; and Organisational Structure exist in the NPF. These structures are patterned to meet the Constitutional expectations of the Force, to perform efficiently and effectively the duties assigned to it. The Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force is in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where the office of the Inspector General of Police is located.

    In order to ensure effective service delivery, the Inspector-General of Police is assisted by Deputy Inspectors-General of Police that are structured and divided into seven Departments: ‘A’- ‘G’, with each Department charged with peculiar duties. ‘A’ Department: Finance and Administration; ‘B’ Department: Operation; ‘C’ Department: Logistics and Supply; ‘D’ Department: Investigation and Intelligence; ‘E’ Department: Training and Development; ‘F’ Department: Research and Planning and ‘G’ Department: Information Communication and Technology (ICT). Though their duties are inter-woven, there is no water-tight separation among the departments in the course of handling issues and affairs of the Force because very often, one particular issue may require the attention of two or more departments. That is, what obtains in practice is that all the departments have coordinate powers that overlap in the process of performance of their respective duties. It is these Departmental Heads, including the Force Secretary that constitute the Nigeria Police Management Team, under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police. The Management Team makes decisions and gives directives that reflect national policies on all issues relevant to the Force.

    The NPF is further structured in line with the geo-political structure of the Country, with provisions for supervisory formations. The structure formation enables Police operations cover the internal territory of Nigeria. As at January 2019, the NPF has, across the Federation, 12 Zones, headed by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police; 36 States and FCT Command, headed by Commissioners of Police; 127 Area Commands, headed by Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), also known as Area Commanders; 1,329 Divisions, commanded by Divisional Police Officers of the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police; 1,579 Police Stations, headed by Police Inspectors and; 3,756 Police Posts, headed by non-commissioned officers. The hierarchy of the Police Force therefore runs from the patrol team to the Force Headquarters. It is important to state that, there is no fixed number of Police Divisions that make up an Area Command and number of Police Stations that constitute a Police Division as their statutory creations depend on such considerations like – population density, geographical size and other security peculiarities of the respective States. The overall consideration being that every State is adequately policed.

    By its nature, the Police operational crime fighting function is felt by the populace. The relevance of the structuring of the Police to the defence and internal security of the nation can be appreciated by the totality of Police role in internal security. The whole weight of the powers and duties of the Police are spread on the balance of these structures. A periodic assessment and review of these structures to determine their relevance in the scheme of the nation’s defence mechanism has remained a traditional exercise in the Force, in order to catch up with current global policing strategies as prescribed in international defense policies.

    Roles, Mission and Powers of the Nigeria Police

    There are several laws in the country that instituted the Nigeria Police and their corresponding roles, especially the Police Act, Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) which grants the Police wide powers. According to Section 4 of Police Act 2004, the main functions of the NPF are unambiguously stated as follows:

    1. Prevention and detection of crime;
    2. Apprehension of offenders;
    3. Preservation of law and order;
    4. Protection of life and property,
    5. Enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged, and perform such military duties within or without Nigeria as may be required of them by, or under the authority of this or any other Act.

    In addition to the aforementioned roles, the NPF also has statutory powers to investigate crimes, interrogate suspects, prosecute suspects, grant bail to suspects pending completion of investigation or prior to court arraignments, to serve summons, and to regulate or disperse unlawful processions and assemblies. The Police are also empowered to search and seize properties suspected to be stolen or associated with crime, and to take record of the measurements, photographs and fingerprint impressions of all persons in custody for purposes of identification. The duties of the NPF are statutory and the police owe these duties to the generality of Nigerians and all other persons lawfully living within the country. They are therefore answerable to the law in performance of their duties.

    The vision of the NPF is to “make Nigeria safer and more secure for economic development and growth; to create a safe and secure environment for everyone living in Nigeria.” The mission of the NPF is to partner with other relevant security agencies and the public in gathering, collating, sharing information and intelligence with the intention of ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens. This is aimed at addressing the root causes of crime while ensuring that any criminal act is investigated so as to bring the criminals to justice in a fair and professional manner. This mission also forms the tasks the Police seeks to achieve in the discharge of its statutory roles by employing community policing in order to achieve the goal of leading other agencies in law enforcement and maintenance of order within the Nigeria society.

    Society through its law gives its government wide powers for the purpose of efficient and effective preservation of law and order, protection of citizens from suffering, fear and loss of life and property produced by crime and violent conflict. The Police is inherently, the most visible symbol of any government power and authority and primary enforcement of its law; an institution of social control in the hands of those who are managers of the State.

    Domestic Policing, with Emphasis on Community Policing

    Domestic Policing is the internal Policing mechanism adopted by the Nigeria Police in the art of policing at home with a view to ensuring that law and order in the society is maintained, and that the security of citizens and the safety of their property is ensured. These tasks are performed using preventive and detective methods of policing such as foot and motorized patrols, beats patrols, surveillance, raids, escorts, investigations and prosecutions among others. In discharging these tasks, the NPF has now adopted community policing rather than the traditional ways of policing the country. The purpose of this is to ensure that the citizens are engaged in policing their society.

    In the course of implementing community policing within the domestic environment, the NPF put some strategies in place to ensure proper enforcement of the strategies. The NPF also adopted policing styles in conformity with universal norms and practices. This is encompassed in the concept of community-based policing system. It entails policing style of problem-solving approach to work, and involve the public in deciding policing priorities. To achieve this, the NPF established a section called the Community Policing and Strategy Development, headed by a Commissioner of Police. This Section was set up to provide research and analytical services such as to monitor and evaluate functions to support modern policing operations and public safety practices. It is also responsible for identifying law enforcement issues and conducting timely policy research and evaluation. In addition, the Section is to follow-up training and technical assistance on those issues that will provide information and direction to police personnel, police leaders and the community.

    In view of this, the NPF made provisions to provide the necessary guidelines for the execution and implementation of community policing, towards ensuring crime free society within the country. The establishment of the Community Policing and Development Section in the NPF has initiated the necessary strategies and also ensured proper implementation. The effective execution of these strategies would further improve the activities and operations of the NPF towards entrenching community policing concepts in our policing culture.

    International Policing and Peace Support Operations

    International policing activities of the Nigeria Police entails the engagement of the Force personnel in international duties. These duties include Peace Support Operations (PSOs) as well as Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs). The United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence sees PSOs as “an operation that impartially makes use of diplomatic, civil and military means, normally in pursuit of United Nations Charter purposes and principles to restore or maintain peace”. It is an organised international assistance initiative to support the maintenance, monitoring and building of peace and prevention of resurgent violent conflict. The Nigeria Police participation in PSOs dated back to 1960 when the Force deployed her first contingent of Individual Police Officers (IPOs), led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Louis Edet who later became the first indigenous Inspector–General of NPF to Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo). This was the first time that the United Nations was deploying Police officers to a Peacekeeping operation, and Nigeria and Ghana were the first countries to be deployed.

    Deployment of IPOs continued till June, 2004 when the Force deployed her first Formed police Unit (FPU) to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). With this deployment, Nigeria became the first country in Africa to deploy a Formed Police Unit to United Nations Peacekeeping mission. It is gratifying to note that the performance of the first FPU deployed to Liberia was highly exemplary and provoked the United Nations to request for the deployment of more Nigeria FPUs to other United Nations Peacekeeping missions. Consequently, other FPUs were deployed to DRC and Haiti in 2005. Since then, NPF has deployed FPUs to many PSOs including Darfur in Sudan, Guinea Bissau, Somalia and Mali, under the auspices of the UN, AU or ECOWAS. To a greater extent, personnel of the NPF that have served in PSOs have performed so well that they have been commended by the UNDPKO and Heads of their respective missions.

    The role played by the Nigeria Police in PSO largely depends on the nature of the mandate. In a mission with a chapter VII mandate (i.e. executive), the Police take up national policing roles in the host state (e.g. the mission in Bosnia, Kosovo, Timor Liste). Since NPF’s first PSOs deployment to Congo, the NPF has creditably participated in numerous PSOs, among which are: –

    • UN Operation in Congo (UNCE) – 1960 – 1964
    • UN Assistance Group in Namibia (UNTAG) – 1989 – 1990
    • UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) – 1992 – 1993
    • UN Protection Force – Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR) – 1992 – 1995
    • UN Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM 1,11 & 111) – 1994 – 1997
    • UN Operation in Somalia (UOISOM 1 & 11) – 1994 – 1995
    • UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MINORSO) – 1994 – 1998
    • UN Operation in Mozambique (UNMOZ) – 1994
    • UN Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) – 1994
    • UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina (UNMIBIH) – 1995 – 2002
    • UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNMEAT) – 1999 – 2012
    • UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) – 1999 – 2005
    • UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) – 1999 – 2012
    • UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) – 2005 – 2011
    • African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) – 2004 – 2007
    • UN Operations in Burundi (ONUB) – 2004 – 2006
    • UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) – 2007 – 2009.

    As at 31st January 2018, the current deployment of Nigeria Police to different PSOs across the globe stands at Five Hundred and Fifty-Five (555) personnel covering Individual Police Officers (IPOs), FPUs and officers on secondment. At present, a total of 396 officers and men of the NPF are participating in different types of missions abroad. These include IPOs to AMISOM, MINUSMA, UNAMID DARFUR, UN Mission in South Sudan, UN Mission in Congo, MINUJUSTH, and ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau. The Force also sent FPUs to UN Mission in Mali and AU Mission in Somalia. The continued participation of the Nigeria Police in PSOs has indeed exposed personnel of the Force to modern day policing strategies that have been immensely beneficial to the Force and to the Nation in general.

    Constraints to Nigeria Police Operational Efficiency

    The Nigeria Police Force is faced with many challenges that are militating against its operational effectiveness among which are as enumerated hereunder:

    Inadequate Manpower

    The NPF most important asset is its personnel. As stated earlier, the manpower strength of the NPF at the inception of democratic governance was 112,000 Policemen and women to police about 119.3 million citizens. However, with series of recruitments under the Police Reform Agenda, the current strength of the Police is approximately 300,000 personnel. The number of the officers to the population which stood at ratio of 1:563. This figure is inadequate with the estimated population of approximately 180 million.

    The precarious manpower situation is further compounded by the practice of deploying a large number of Policemen on non-Police duties or duties that could be performed by other bodies or private security guards. This is exemplified in the use of a large number of Policemen especially in urban centres for such duties as protection of VIPs, guarding private homes and provision of security at social gatherings among others. However, the Inspector General of Police is currently reviewing this situation, especially as the general election is fast approaching which obviously require adequate manpower in order to ensure maximum protection before, during and after the electioneering processes. In addition, concerted efforts are being made by the Federal Government to recruit more personnel into the Force under the present administration.

    Logistics and Infrastructure

    Inadequate means of transportation and fuelling of vehicles has impaired patrols and response to calls for assistance by the public. Sometimes the Police had failed to pursue a criminal because there is no vehicle at the station.  The Police require a large fleet of serviceable vehicles for mobility. It is recommended that a Police Station should have a minimum of four land rovers, two lorries, four crime branch vehicles, eight patrol vehicles and two motorcycles for routine patrols. Regrettably, the limited available operational vehicles are not fuelled regularly due to paucity of fund. With scarcity and cost of spare parts, many operational vehicles have been grounded and this is yet to receive desired attention. This position continues to affect the operational effectiveness of the Police, especially in terms of crime prevention.

    Insufficient Funding

    Over the years, the NPF fiscal appropriation has been inadequate towards ensuring effective discharge of its constitutional duties. This is reflected in the Force operational efficiency. The annual budgetary allocation to the Force especially with regards to Capital and Overhead cost does not in any way reflect the enormous size, scope of responsibility and actual needs of the Force.

    With insufficient funds made available to the NPF, much has not been allocated for maintenance of the Force operational vehicles. Even the little fund being allocated is not usually released on time. Going by the importance of serviceable vehicles to the NPF, the effect of deficits in fund released is drastically affecting its operational effectiveness in the face of the contemporary security challenges which ranges from armed robbery, burglary, rape, incessant killings, farmers-herdsmen clashes, banditry, among others that the country is facing. Most equipment and operational vehicles of the Force are supported and maintained by State Governments and other well-meaning Nigerians and organisations. Thus, revealing the inability of the NPF to solely operate effectively due to insufficient fund. Therefore, it is important for the Nigerian government to consider increasing and ensure full and speedy release of fund allocation to the NPF. In this instance, the Police Trust Fund Bill before the National Assembly could be speedily approved. In the recent past, the National Assembly has made progress in this direction.

    Poor Motivation/Welfare of Officers and Men

    The general welfare of officers and men of the NPF is not too encouraging. For instance, most officers and men lack habitable barracks, thereby affecting their service delivery to the nation. This does not in any way motivate the personnel for effective performance. Even though there are some welfare schemes available in the NPF, study conducted by Oyebade (2018) revealed that the services provided by these schemes are not enough to motivate its personnel for enhanced operational efficiency. As we all know, the level of operational efficiency of any organization is closely tied to the nature of motivation available to its personnel. The motivation factors in the NPF are not adequately encouraging. These, in combination with a host of other issues continue to dampen the morale of officers and men, thereby negatively affecting the operational efficiency of the Force.

    Public Perception

    The potency of the Nigeria Police in investigating crime is diminishing as public confidence in the Police has been eroded. The Police are often accused of the abuse of fundamental human rights by the Nigerian citizens, Human Rights Watch and other human right agencies. This continue to demoralise the Officers and men of the NPF thereby affecting their operational efficiency. In order to correct this anomaly, the NPF is implementing community policing that is bridging the gap between the police and the communities. The police/public partnership and community relations in crime prevention and control continue to get better.

    Future Perspectives and Policy Direction

    In term of crime prevention and control, which is most germane to our great country, the NPF has re-organised its Criminal Intelligence Bureau and is strengthening the Force Criminal Investigation Department with necessary logistics support, communications, transportation and other necessary facilities for intelligence gathering as well as timely and successful investigation. In addition, the IGP is on the track of strengthening strategic partnerships with all segments of the Nigerian society, including the traditional institutions, traders’ associations, National Union of Road and Transport Workers, trade unions and other necessary Non-Governmental Organizations within the country in order to enhance public support for its crime prevention efforts.

    Beat and patrol are the most basic functions of police operations where frontline officers are in contact with ordinary citizens of the country. Accordingly, our regular patrol of all national road networks and waterways is absolutely necessary for effective policing, prevention and detection of crime. In this respect, the Force support services; K9 (Dog Section), Mounted Troops are now been overhauled in order to ensure adequate crowd control. In addition, all urban areas in the Country will be provided with motorised patrols with appropriate communication equipment connected to similarly endowed Base Stations. For prompt and effective policing of urban neighbourhoods, the NPF is determined to reorganise and equip flash points with maps, motorcycles, bicycles and appropriate communication gadgets (walkie-talkie) that will be linked with Police Stations.

    The need for comprehensive training of officers, both locally and internationally is imperative for efficient service delivery. To this end the IGP has directed the review and reform of all existing training curriculum in the Force in order to meet its strategic training objectives. In addition, a NEED assessment on the Training Institutions particularly with a view to attracting and retaining the right personnel in the Force is part of the IGP’s agenda. The IGP has also initiated sustainable training and capacity building programmes aimed at bridging deep manpower competency gap in the Force. This will strengthen the quality of strategic police leadership and prepare the Force for future policing challenges in the country.

    On provision of infrastructure, the police leadership is on the course of facilitating the construction of more decent homes for officers and men through a robust Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The partnership would bring about construction of low-cost houses for members of the NPF nationwide. With this, officers and men of the NPF will be motivated for effective service delivery thereby enhancing the Force operational efficiency. The IGP have strategies for proper implementation of the various welfare schemes (Insurance, Pension, Medical, among others), to ensure motivation of the personnel.

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) play critical role in strengthening Nigeria’s internal security against potential crimes. Thus, it helps to identify potential threats, provide mechanisms and develop response capabilities for intelligence led policing in the country. In its bid to provide a viable information and communication network necessary to support intra and inter State police operations, as well as platform for interfacing seamlessly with relevant security agencies, the NPF is developing or reviewing where necessary, the Force ICT policy in line with the National ICT policy and other extant instruments. To ensure adequate use of ICT in the Force, the IGP has set the stage to equip at least 70% of police officers with necessary ICT skills for operational efficiency and improved public service delivery by the end of December 2020.

    Towards the forthcoming election, the IGP  has deviced some strategic and action plans in order to ensure an enabling environment that will guarantee security of officials, electorates and electoral materials before, during and after the elections despite the challenges facing the Force. These plans include:

    1. Effective deployment of officers and men for the elections.
    2. Each officer will be provided with an aid memoire on roles of the police in election monitoring and management.

    iii.        Proactive patrol of all nooks and crannies of the nation.

    1. Timely apprehension of would-be electoral offenders.
    2. To ensure that all Electoral offences are professionally investigated to a logical conclusion.
    3. To ensure diligent prosecution of all electoral cases.

    However, inter-agency cooperation and collaboration is key in our policing perspective.

    Conclusion

    The NPF made provisions to provide the necessary guidelines for the execution and implementation of its statutory duties towards strengthening and ensuring a crime free society. This is complemented by the establishment of the Community Policing and Development Section that initiated necessary strategies and also ensure its implementation. However, in the discharge of its duties, the Force is faced with numerous challenges that is affecting its operational efficiency. Thus, policing a nation like Nigeria is not to be left for the Police alone, but must be seen as collective responsibility of all. Therefore, it is important for the general populace to partner with the NPF in order to assist its vision of building the people’s Police of our dream.

    Thank you for listening!

    References

    CLEEN Foundation (2008) Motions without Movement, Lagos: CLEEN Foundation.

    Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

    Nigeria Police Act 2004

    Nigeria Police Force Criminal Procedure

    Nigeria Police Force Criminal Procedure Act

    Oyebade, A.O. (2018), Motivation and Operational Efficiency in the Nigeria Police Force: An Appraisal (An Individual Research Project Submitted to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, in partial fulfilment for the award of Member of the National Institute, mni).

  • Obaseki proffers strategic leadership to quell insurgency

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has charged managers of the nation’s security architecture to deploy knowledge-based strategic leadership to quell the numerous security challenges confronting the nation.

    Obaseki who said this in his lecture entitled: ‘Strategic Leadership, My Political Experience,’ at the National Defence College, Abuja on Tuesday, explained that the “the military of the 21st century is fighting against myriad of problems and confronted with different crises beyond what they were originally established and trained to do.”

    He lauded the management and staff of the National Defence College for creating the platform for leaders to share their experiences and knowledge “aimed  at generating  ideas for the benefit of Nigeria in particular and for the security and good governance of the Lake Chad Basin, the West Africa sub-region and the continent of Africa in general.”

    On the relevance of his experience and knowledge of strategic leadership to the armed forces and public service, the governor said: “Nigeria like several other countries is faced with a myriad of security issues.

    “You are aware that part of the nation’s national security challenge today despite monthly and yearly huge security votes and defence spending by government include: insurgency in the North-East (Boko Haram insurgency), trans-border violent crimes, secessionist’s threat from the South-East; Biafra secessionists, Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM).

    “Others are militants’ threat in the south-south (Niger Delta militancy), ethnoreligious conflict, kidnapping, Fulani herdsmen/cattle rustlers clashes with host communities in virtually all parts of the country including the phenomenon of armed robbery, piracy, smuggling, etc.”

    He posited that “to be able to surmount these problems, pragmatic and visionary strategic thinking and leadership is needed by the military high command and the foot soldiers on the field in conjunction with constructive engagement with affected communities to avoid conspiracy with criminal elements in those areas which could lead to ambush of combatant soldiers with colossal losses on the side of the military.”

    Obaseki told the participants that “In tackling these problems, most of you will be engaged and in the cause of carrying out your assigned duties as a military officer either on national or international assignments (peacekeeping and peace-enforcement) and as bureaucrats, you will definitely find yourself in some forms of leadership position where at one time or the other you will be required to take decisions that will inject new innovation into strategic military thinking with unprecedented results for the Armed Forces and the country.”

    He argued that “In such situations, the need for strategic leadership knowledge and application to situational life by the military and administrators in their career cannot be over-emphasised.”

    In the six-part lecture, Obaseki highlighted the various   leadership forms as: “ Positive and Negative Leadership; Autocratic or Authoritarian Leadership; Democratic or Participative Leadership; Laissez-faire or free-rein leadership; Paternalistic Leadership; Strategic Leadership; Charismatic Leadership; Situational Leadership” citing scholarly works of Obakhedo, to buttress his classification.

    According to him “strategic leaders must assiduously work on the interplay between the management of available resources to achieve set goals.”

    Specifically, he explained that strategic leaders must possess strong communication skills, passion, commitment, positivity, innovation and collaboration, must be able to use power judiciously, versatile, and a profound sense of direction to help people excel in their tasks, as he is demonstrating in Edo State.

    He urged participants to be goal-focused and goal-directed in the choices they make in their various leadership positions.

  • Gambia President challenges African leaders

    African political leaders and politicians got a piece of advice from their colleague at the National Defence College, (NDC) Abuja during the graduation lecture delivered by the President of the Republic of The Gambia, Adama Barrow.

    Mr Barrow said it is no longer business as usual for African leaders, warning that if they do not serve the interests of their people, the people would abandon them at the polls.

    President Barrow warned African leaders against taking the people for granted especially as the level of awareness in the social media has become unprecedented.

    According to him, politicians can no longer fool the people considering the recent experiences of Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and other countries.

    Barrow who honoured the invitation of the management of the NDC to deliver the Graduation Lecture as part of activities lined up for the 2018 Graduation Ceremony of Course 26, said time has come for African leaders to remain focus and pragmatic in their approaches geared towards meeting the challenges of growth and development in the continent.

    Mr Barrow said with the recent experience of his country, it is clear that “if governments represent the interest of the people, the people will stand by them. If they oppress the people, the people will abandon them”.

    “This is what has happened in The Gambia, and it serves as a lesson for all leaders,” Barrow told the gathering among whom were the College Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence, Mrs Saratu Batagarawa and Commandants of various military institutions in the country.

    Mr Barrow who was accompanied by ministers and security aides and other top government officials spoke on the topic: “Democratic Principles and Post Conflict Peace Building, Imperatives for the West African Sub- Region”.

    He drew a parallel between recent developments in his country and other countries within the continent, stating that the challenges of democratic governance are the same in several ways.

    He said: “While we seek to show the commitment of government to improve the lives of citizens, effective service delivery must be demonstrated. In other words, commitment must not only be expressed verbally, but should also be translated into concrete action. The level of awareness, in this social media era is unprecedented.

    “Therefore no government can fool itself into believing that it can be business as usual for ever. Politicians are often accused of making empty promises, yet they expect to be given the mandate to lead indefinitely.

    “Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and The Gambia have shown clearly that politicians cannot continue to fool the electorate.”

    Mr Barrow explained that for democracy to be properly entrenched, certain fundamental principles , such as the rule of law, transparency and accountability, justice and equity, must be strictly adhere to by all institutions.

    He said: “Democratic governance requires a holistic approach in transforming the institutions and organisations to professional standard for them to live up to expectations. The challenges faced in transforming any sector in a democratic country are similar to those confronted by the security sector due to the special roles security forces play in their country’s political and economic systems”.

    He added that the role of the professional Security and Military Forces are also central to the development and growth of any democratic society, regretting that in the Gambia, the former President deliberately undermined the degree of professionalism of the security forces by involving security personnel in partisan political and commercial activities.

    He said: “Professionalism of the security apparatus of a country is a central element of democratic governance, and forms part of any transformation strategy. Absolute control by the civil authority over the security is impossible.

    “Accordingly, there should be shared responsibilities within the framework of democratic prudence. Importantly, the professional security forces need to accept their subordination in policy and resource allocation to the civil authority and refrain from engaging in divisive activities”.

    Mr Barrow lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, the United Nations, The African Union and the ECOWAS for the pressures they collectively mounted on Former President Yahaya Jammeh to step down and allow the will of the people to prevail regarding his electoral victory, last year, noting that it was their intervention that did not allow the crisis in the Gambia to get out of control.

    He noted that since assumption of duty, he has been preoccupied by the need to unite the people, gain their confidence and trust and transform the country towards the path of peace and prosperity given that it has been difficult for The Gambia to emerge from 22 years of dictatorship, institutionalized corruption and ruined economy.

    The Commandant of the NDC, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, in his address said the College would remain grateful to The Gambia president for honouring its invitation and for hosting the Course 26 Participants during their tour to The Gambia.

    Admiral Osinowo who noted the good and warm relationship between Nigeria and The Gambia, especially through the ECOWAS platform, said over 2,000 Participants have being trained by the College since its inception in 1992, adding that the Course 26 Participants are drawn from Asia, European and African countries.

  • I am saddened by Killings in the North – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he was saddened by the spate of killings in the northern parts of the country, especially by armed bandits and other Blessing Olaifa, Assistant Editor, Abuja criminal elements, promising that the situation would be brought under control.

    He said his administration has ordered deployment of more troops into the affected areas and further called for increasing vigilance on the part of security forces in the troubled areas.

    The President made the remarks at the Graduation Ceremony of Course 26 of the National Defence College, Abuja. He was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

    He said the present administration is encouraged by the efforts of the armed forces in ensuring peace and security across the country, noting that through their collective efforts and commitment, the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists group is now in recession.

    President Buhari also said although more needs to be done in several fronts to achieve the desired goals of the administration’s cardinal objectives, he noted that there is need to carry out fundamental review of the nation’s security architecture to enable the police play more roles in internal security.

    President Buhari also said his administration has achieved a lot in the fight against corruption, noting that decisive steps taken to entrench the change agenda have yeilded results in checking hemorraging and restoring confidence in the country.

    The President assured that with the commitment of the administration towards economic diversification, things can only get better and called for support and understanding of the people to enable the administration to succeed.

    In his remarks, the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo said a total of 136 participants made up of 106 officers of the rank of army Colonel and equivalent in the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, 4 Commissioners of Police, 10 Civilians participants from Ministries and Departments and Agencies as well as 16 participants from Allied Countries spread across Africa, Europe and Asia graduated from the Course 26.

    “The foreign participants in NDC Course 26 is the largest ever since the inception of the College. Among other implications, this observation represents the rising international profile of the college as it also demands that the college must reposition itself as a credible tool of National Foreign Policy action, at least in terms of quality of studies and infrastructure”, Rear Admiral Osinowo stated.

    Read Also: Gunmen abduct preacher, two others in Kaduna

    Rear Admiral Osinowo said: “The graduands received 126 lectures/presentations and conducted 8 participants’ concluding seminars. They also presented 3 term papers, Strategic Leadership paper, draft Policy paper and the College Research Paper.

    “Other highlights of the course were: conduct of 4 exercises on higher defence management, strategic tour of 11 states: tour of strategic installations; visit to strategic military establishments: regional study tour of selected African countries: and geostrategic world study tour of 20 countries.

    ” Towards deepening the intellectual value and output of our activities, the College has sustained the presentation of the newly introduced Vice President’s Paper: the Second Edition was presented to His Excellency the VP, Proic Osinbanjo on 23 July 2018. Meanwhile, Participants from the NA, NN and NAF are also for the first time required to collectively produce a well researched Service Chiefs paper to their respective heads of Service”.

    Among other dignatories at the graduation ceremony are the Minister of Defence, Mansir Dan Ali, The Chief of Defence Staff of Sierra Leone, Lt. Gen Susay, The Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, and the Commandants of several military institutions in the country.

  • Dapchi Kidnap, Rann attacks won’t happen again – Buhari

    Dapchi Kidnap, Rann attacks won’t happen again – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday said his administration is doing everything possible to ensure that the kidnap of the Dapchi School Girls and the recent attacks on humanitarian aid workers in Rann, Borno state, by the Boko Haram terrorists never happen again.

    He however appealed to the nation’s elite and the media to avoid creating fertile ground for clashes among Nigerians through “what is said and what is done”. Nigerian elite should hold Nigeria together by our actions and utterances as well as our values, the president stated.

    President Buhari maintained that the persistent attacks of the terrorists on soft targets such as the kidnap of the girls and the incident at Rann were to create the impression that the terrorists are still very much around, insisting that compared to when he took over the reign of governance in 2015; the insurgents have been effectively degraded.

    The President said since the kidnap of the girls, the nation’s armed forces have been fully mobilized to Borno and Yobe states to ensure the security and safety of the people as well as schools in that part of the country.

    The President made the remarks at the National Defence College, Abuja, while declaring open the 8th Edition of the National Security Seminar 2018 organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Defence College, NDC.

    The Theme of the Seminar was “Fighting Tomorrows’ Warfare Today.”

    The President who was represented by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, asserted that Boko Haram had been thoroughly degraded contrary to the views being held by Nigerians on the status of the insurgent group.

    Said he: “Boko Haram as we all know rejects authority and strives to take over territory, establishing a caliphate in line with ISIS objectives. Between 2012 and 2015 they seemed to be well on their way to achieve their objectives by annexing some territory of Nigeria and contesting territory with it.

    “As of march 2015 Boko Haram controls about 20,000square kilo. of Nigeria, that is about the size of Belgium, from the eastern border of Cameroun to parts of Lake Chad. In Borno 20 out of 27 local government are under Boko Haram control, including Mubi in Adamawa and some villages.

    “In addition to this, their footprints were registered in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano with the bombings of UN building and Police HQ in Abuja. That was the state of affairs as of early 2015. . Today BH does not occupy any local government area in Nigeria. And they no longer has the capacity to hold a territory and challenge the sovereignty of the state.

    “Gone are the days they operate outside the precincts of the northeast, leaving behind carnage and bloodshed. They are now operating as desperate criminal gang mostly in relics or groups taking over some communities, using children as suicide bombers, kidnapping innocent girls and children”.

    Buhari who lauded the gallantry and bravery of the nation’s armed forces, said Nigerians and the present administration would remain grateful to them for their sacrifice, stating that “as things are today, the situation would have been worse without the gallantry of our armed forces”.

    He said with the objectives of the Boko Haram group to establish a caliphate in Nigeria now made impossible by the military, the government, the people and the military must come to the understanding of the deception that is at the heart of the current spate of attacks and kidnapping that the group was bent on creating the impression that they are still very much around.

    President Buhari, who said the administration would rekindle the determination of the armed forces to subdue Boko Haram permanently, further assured that a multi-dimensional approach would be adopted to tackle the insurgent headlong.

    According to him, the administration would strengthen the intelligence gathering capabilities of the armed forces, adopt cutting edge technology to fight the insurgents and develop counter narratives that would make recruitment of young men and women into the Boko Haram group impossible.

    He also stated that besides the Safe School Initiative, the government would rebuild and secure communities destroyed by the insurgents, adding that all material conditions that make people take up arms against the state would be addressed.

    The Minister of Defence, Mansir Dan Ali said the current efforts of the military to rescue the Dapchi girls and the Chibok girls would take the centre stage, stressing that satellite communications system and other technological method would be deploy to rescue the girls.

    The Minister who was represented by Dr Hassan Abdullahi, a Director in charge of the army in the Ministry, said it was heart-warming for the organisers of the seminar to come up with the idea to address the multi-faceted security challenges facing the country.

    Dan Ali said from the look of things the Boko Haram insurgent group was taking advantage of technology, especially the social media platforms to create panic, terror and confusion in the society and urge the nation’s armed forces to move ahead of them by doing away with analogue technology and embracing digital technology.

    He also lamented that Nigeria’s reliance on foreign defence products are unhelpful in the fight against terror and other criminal activities in the country, regretting that the cyber space is being dominated by criminals.

    The federal government, he asserted, would not only partner with critical stakeholders to address the security challenges facing the country, but that scientific and technological solutions would be adopted to defeat terror.

    Dan Ali acknowledged the loss of lives and livelihoods, destruction of farm lands across the country, the activities of cattle rustlers, as well as destruction of communities, promising that government would do everything possible to restore hope and rebuild effected areas.

    The Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo said the NDC was pleased to host the workshop with the tittle Fighting Tomorrows’ Warfare Today as a way of addressing the current security challenges holistically.

    Rear Admiral Osinowo said: “The theme of this seminar is well thought out for several pertinent reasons. Firstly, given the influence of technology on warfare and its overarching influence on wars since the cold war era, nations have invested in new and emerging technologies to improve their military for national power.

    “Secondly, notwithstanding possible return of interstate wars, the reality is that post-cold war Africa has been involved more in intra stat wars. Thirdly, contemporary warfare involves non-state actors, insurgents and terrorists groups in particular, and the majority of these wars have assumed greater dimension.”

    Read Also: Killings: I have my way of gathering intelligence – Buhari

  • All hail the Balogun of Akure land

    Akure, the Ondo State capital, witnessed an unusual crowd as Generals, security experts, business moguls and policy makers converged on the ancient city penultimate Saturday to participate in this year’s annual Oyemekun Festival of the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.

    Although it was the annual Oyemekun Festival, most of the guests were in the city to celebrate the immediate past Commandant, National Defence College (NDC) Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade, who was honoured with the title of Balogun of Akure land.

    As early as 8:00 a.m., the road to the Deji’s palace was suffused with so many visitors, such much so that barricades and other crowd control measures were put in place. Many women were seen struggling with their handbags in search of handkerchiefs to cover their hairs, a prerequisite to enter the palace.

    The many rules and regulations notwithstanding, guests stormed out of their seats to catch a glimpse of Alade, who was brought before the monarch for obeisance.

    Being the first to be bestowed the title in the history of the kingdom; Alade’s investiture did not come as a surprise to his friends and associates, who extolled his unequalled leadership abilities.

    “His humility is striking; his intelligence, intimidating and his sense of humour, unequalled. He is a General worth his onion in all ramifications. He’s a good man and I am very delighted to be associated with him.

    “Alade is one of the few people I can call a friend. He identifies with people. He doesn’t look down on anyone. He followed me to my village during my father-in-law’s burial. Not many people can do that. I am happy I visited Akure for the first time because of him. It’s an honour well deserved,” said a security expert, Mr. Ubong King, who was at the Deji’s palace to witness the traditional rites.

    Members of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Course 27, those from the Ibrahim Badamosi Babanginda (IBB) Golf Course in Abuja, the Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG) and other guests at the ceremony showered praises on the Balogun, reminiscing on their encounters with him and how he impacted their lives.

    On why he chose Alade for the title, Oba Aladelusi said: “He is a good man. He has been a friend of the palace since I mounted the throne. He is a good son of Ondo State. He has done so much for the state and Nigeria as a whole but he still has a lot to do for Akure land. His wise counsel on security issues would be appreciated and his presence whenever we are doing anything to move Akure forward is just enough.”

    Expressing his appreciation for the honour, the Balogun said: “I am thankful to God and to the people of Akure land, particularly the Kabiyesi for finding me worthy of this honour.

    “Balogun means the leader of the warriors. From now on, I become the main adviser to the king in terms of security of the land.

    “The Kabiyesi has the prerogative to consult me and seek my opinion on issues that have to do with security. I have the responsibility to advise him accordingly.”

  • ‘Why Enugu is safest state’

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam has revealed that proactive and cooperative policing approach made Enugu the safest state in the country.

    Danmallam disclosed this in Enugu while addressing student participants from the National Defence College (NDC), Course 26 on a study tour in the state on a courtesy call to the state police command headquarters.

    He noted that since he took over the command in February this year, he had motivated and led various operations, units and squads on the field to ensure that “officers and men were on top of their game as they see their commissioner with them.”

    “So, we have been highly pro-active, while my commanders and team leaders had been up and doing; that is why we have reduced crime and incidents of criminality in the state to zero level.

    “For, the issue of car snatching it had since been reported last over a month ago; kidnapping had disappeared while we have battled cultism and gangsterism as well.

    “The command also received tremendous co-operation from other security agencies especially the Nigerian Army, Air Force, NSCDC, NDLEA, Prison Service and neighbourhood vigilante groups in various communities in the state.

    “We have conduct joint internal security patrols, joint show of force sessions, seminars and monthly meetings to ensure that collectively we are ahead of criminals and other emerging security threats,’’ he said.

    According to him, the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has been highly supportive and given the command all necessary encouragement needed for continuous success.

    On youth employment in the state, Danmallam said that the governor had done a lot to see to the engagement of youths through various senatorial skill empowerment programmes.

    “The governor has ensured that workers get their salaries on or before 25th of each month; he also inaugurated neighbourhood watch in every community in the state and engage youths in the watch groups.

    “Just of recent, he engaged over 200 youths in the state traffic control unit as well as various sporting activities and competitions, where youths are gainful engaged by the sports clubs and association,” he said.

    According to him, youths in the state had been highly engaged resulting that during the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) clashes with security agencies in the zone; Enugu State had never been a ground for IPOB rallies since February.

    The Team Leader of the NDC, Commodore Olumuyiwa Olotu, thanked the commissioner for keeping Enugu very safe and peaceful; adding: “We can see that peace and calm even from the ordinary people we have interacted with so far’’.

    “We have seen and met with a very happy, approachable and hospitable people in the state since our stay. This is a laudable testimony to the peaceful atmosphere that exist here,” Olotu said.

    He noted that the students of participants of National Defence College (NDC), Course 26 on a study tour on the topic: “Youth Empowerment’’.

    “Sir, we urge you to give us all necessary co-operation as well as answers to questions which would assist us carry our assignment in the state,” he appealed.