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Tag: Police College

  • Minister calls for the review of curriculum in police college

    Minister calls for the review of curriculum in police college

    The Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, has reiterated the need for continuous review and update of the curriculum of the Nigeria Police College.

    Gaidam said that this would enable the college to be aligned with the latest trends and best practices in law enforcement.

    He said this during a meeting with the Management and Staff of the Nigeria Police Academy, held at the Police College, Wudil, Kano State.

    The Minister stated that providing cadets with opportunities for practical, hands-on training will better prepare them for the challenges they will face in the field.

    Gaidam: “I come to you today with a sense of purpose and determination to address a crucial matter that lies at the heart of our institution’s mission – the improvement of cadet student performance to shape the future leaders of law enforcement in Nigeria. As we strive to produce well-disciplined and professionally sound police cadets, it is imperative that we collectively embark on a journey of transformation and innovation in our approach.”

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    He charged them to establish a mentorship programme where experienced officers can provide guidance and support to cadets that will not only help them navigate their academic journey but also instill in them the values of leadership, integrity, and professionalism.

    The minister emphasized ethical conduct and professionalism which are the cornerstones of effective law enforcement adding that they must instill these values in the cadets from the very beginning and provide them with the tools and resources to make ethical decisions in the face of adversity.

    He said they must provide cadets with opportunities to engage with the community and gain practical experience in real-life scenarios that will help them develop empathy, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities that are essential for effective policing.

    He added: “Regular evaluation of cadet performance and providing constructive feedback will help identify areas of improvement and enable us to tailor our approach to meet the needs of individual cadets. Respect for rules and laws is the foundation of any institution, and the Nigeria Police Academy is no exception. I emphasize the importance of upholding the rules and regulations of the academy, as they are designed to ensure discipline, order, and excellence in training”.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director (Press and Public Relations Unit), Bolaji Kazeem, the minister said the Ministry is aware of the challenges faced by the staff of the Nigeria Police Academy, particularly concerning welfare issues such as residential and office accommodation, noting that the Ministry of Police Affairs is fully committed to addressing these concerns and improving the welfare of our dedicated staff.

    Earlier, the Commandant of the Police Academy (POLAC), AIG Sadiq Abubakar thanked the federal government and the ministry for their commitment and support to ensure that the institution realizes its objectives as the best Police Training Institutions.

    He enumerated the challenges of the institutions such as shortage of academic and direct staff; acute shortage of staff quarters; inadequate science and language laboratories and non-completion of major projects in the institution.

  • Police arrest four ‘illegal’ vendors of uniform

    Police arrest four ‘illegal’ vendors of uniform

    The police in Lagos have arrested four persons who allegedly run a factory where criminals produce and sell its uniforms, accoutrements at the Police College, Ikeja.

    Police boots, belts, badges, ranks, shirts, trousers, force numbers, cardigans and caps were recovered from the suspects, currently being grilled at the X-Squad, unit.

    It was gathered that some concerned persons had petition the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris about criminals coming into the college to purchase police uniforms in the factory.

    Idris, The Nation gathered, constituted a panel of inquiry headed by a retired Inspector General of Police (AIG), which recommended thorough investigation on the issue.

    “When the recommendation was forwarded, the Commissioner of Police directed X-Squad to take over. We went to the shops and discovered that truly people were selling police uniform and kits and people believed to be Civilians were coming to buy them.

    “We have to arrest the people in the shops and seized 11 big bags of police uniforms and kits such as belts, identity cards, emblems, boots, socks among others.

    “The exhibits and the suspects have been moved to the state command headquarters, while we are still tracking the other suspects on the run,” said a source.

    Contacted, the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said the suspects would be charged go court for conspiracy and unlawful possession, sale of Police kits.

  • Fire destroys Police College staff quarters

    Fire destroys Police College staff quarters

    The official quarters of Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) in charge of Operations at the Lagos Command, Mr Emmanuel Ngwu, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday night.

    The fire occurred at the staff Quarters of the Police College in Ikeja, the state capital.

    Eyewitnesses said tthe fire started about 6:30pm spreading throughout the upper floor of the three bedroom duplex, Quarters 11B. The prompt intervention of the fire service stopped the inferno from spreading to the lower rooms and adjoining buildings.

    It was gathered that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, including Ngwu’s personal belongings.

    Fire, it was learnt, have been caused by electrical fault.

    When The Nation visited the scene, sympathisers had gathered, consoling Ngwu who took things calmly.

    It was learnt that when the fire started the College’s Commandant of Police Yahaya Ardo, immediately contacted. Ardo also supervised the rescue before the fire was put out about 8:45pm.

    Eyewitnesses said though lives were not lost, many valuable properties were burnt.

    “Oga Ngwu has nothing else, the only thing he has is the cloth on him, all his documents were burnt and even his certificates, now he has to start again, “a source said.

    Ngwu declined comment, “I cannot tell you anything now; I just give glory to God.”

    The college’s Public Relations Office (PRO), Adesanya Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who was also at the scene, told The Nation that the fire gutted Quarters11B.

    “No lives were lost in the fire incident, the upper rooms were affected but due to the prompt intervention of the fire service men, no other building was affected. The commandant of the college was here personally to supervise the efforts.

    “Right now, investigations will commence into the cause of the fire incident but now we cannot say specifically the cause.”

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mamman Shafe, visited the scene on Tuesday to console the victims.

  • Still on the rot at Police College

    Still on the rot at Police College

    SIR: The president visit to Police College Ikeja on Friday January 18 was a visit long overdue and better late than never. Though the visit was triggered by the documentary televised on a Lagos – based privately owned Channel Television, the unscheduled visit allowed the President to see things the way they were. I think he should be commended because if he had informed the Inspector General of Police and co. they could have covered up the true situation of things at the Police College.

    During the visit, the President moved round and saw the rate of dilapidation of the college. The grasses were not cut, the hostels facilities were too bad, the wall separating the college from the highway patrol barracks, Ikeja was said to have collapsed a year ago, thus giving access into the college by all manners of people, making the security in the college to be pathetic.

    Apart from the rot, the college is also being dogged by recruitment scandal which came to the surface when the President visited. It was alleged that many under-aged people were recruited which prompted President to ask for the age of one of college trainee. Another problem of the college is the fraud that was alleged being perpetrated against the trainees. Each trainee was paid N3000 instead of N14000.

    Like the President, there is nobody that will not be angry if he/she sees the rate of rot in the college in spite of the huge of amount of money that was allocated to the police colleges in the budget.

    For instance, in 2011, N291.946 million was budgeted for all the 10 Police Colleges across the nation. In 2012, N296.757million was budgeted for the same colleges and in 2013 budget, N280million has also been set aside for all these 10 police colleges apart from the money each of this college is generating from renting out the field of the college to the public for ceremonies as it was witnessed on the day the President visited.

    But it is a pity that all the money that is meant for development of these police colleges was not being utilized well.

    Having commended the President for that surprise visit, I also commend the management of Chanel Television for televising that documentary that revealed the sad state of the college.

    However, President Jonathan must not see the documentary as a calculated attempt to damage the image of his government as he has said but rather he should see the documentary as a wakeup call to his government. Therefore instead of angrily asking for who permitted Channels Television to film the depreciation in the facilities of the college, he should rather be serious with the question why and how the college got to that deplorable state in spite of the huge amount of money that is being pumped into the college.

    The DIG ‘E’ Department who is in charge of the trainees and the college commandant must be probed on how they have been managing the college’s monies. The IGP, his predecessors and other past DIGs of ‘E’ Department must also be asked to say what they knew on how the Police College Ikeja come to that deplorable state. After the thorough investigations, anyone that is found wanting must be dealt with accordingly.

     

    • John Tosin Ajiboye

    Osogbo Osun State

  • Police College Ikeja: Matters arising

    SIR: I watched with shock and disbelief the Channels Television documentary on the Nigerian Police College, Ikeja. That place is an eyesore. That this is Nigeria’s premier police training college beats my imagination. How did such an institution which has produced several great police officers including a former President of Botswana fall into such a sorry state of disrepair?

    We need a total overhaul of the police in order to position it to meet the security challenges in our country. We need to examine staff welfare. How much are our policemen paid? Do they have adequate insurance for their lives if killed in the line of duty? Are their pensions and gratuity paid as at when due? What about their housing conditions?

    A situation in which policemen pay for their own uniforms and boots does not speak well of us as a nation. When Nigerian policemen are sent on peacekeeping missions outside the shores of our land, they perform very well. They even win medals for their efforts. But these are the same policemen who are unable to perform here.

    Training is very essential if we want our policemen to perform their duties optimally. The current state of disrepair of the police college is very shameful. How can men trained under such circumstances turn out to be agents of change in the society? Can you imagine the psychological torture they go through? They can only graduate to take revenge on the society.

    Let our police colleges spread across the length and breadth of this country be renovated and refurbished to meet modern standards. Our policemen should also be sent on crash courses outside the country so that they can see how policing is done in modern societies. They should be trained in the use of ICT as we now live in a digital age. Their weaponry should be upgraded.

    President Jonathan’s statement that someone was out to embarrass the government is nothing but playing to the gallery. He should bring to book those responsible for the state of disrepair in the police college. Mr John Momoh, chairman of Channels Television is a patriot and should be commended for his work of investigative journalism.

    • Peter Ovie Akus

    University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State

  • We will address the rot in police colleges – Minister

    We will address the rot in police colleges – Minister

    The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd) has said his ministry and the police management team will address the rot in police colleges in the country without delay.

    Answering questions from journalists after a meeting with the Inspector -General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar at the Force Headquarters on Wednesday, the minister said the matter is of priority to the government.

    Olubolade said the meeting with the IGP centred on how to fix the decay in police colleges and how to tackle the rising wave of terrorism, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the land.

    The minister stated: “We looked at the training of policemen and the training institutions not only on police colleges because solving the problem of police colleges alone is not enough.

    “We will solve the problem of police colleges and that of other training institutions including the Police Academy in Kano as well as the Staff College in Jos.

    “Once we address those issues, we will be making better progress. So, if you ask me, this meeting was aimed at repositioning the police to attend to training matters. To attend to operational matters so that this year, we will see a better policing in Nigeria.”

    “Nigerians should expect a highly professional police force that will stand up and face the challenges that are confronting our nation. And to do that, I have to constantly meet with the management team headed by the IGP who is here with me as many times as possible.

    “This is to ensure that we are on course with our plan, to ensure that whatever we asked for to make the police force more efficient is given to us. It is also to ensure that we are making progress in fighting crime, criminality and terrorism.

    “Like I said, I am here to follow up on what I have just spoken about; to interact with the IGP and his management team, to look at lapses that may exist and how we will surmount them because it is a joint effort and I think it is critical to do that.

    “The IGP is making some progress in certain areas and I will also have to look at them.”

     

  • PORTSMOUTH IMPASSE: Kanu trains at Police College

    PORTSMOUTH IMPASSE: Kanu trains at Police College

    Ex-Nigeria International, Nwankwo Kanu, who has been in a running battle with English club, Portsmouth over allegations of a breach of contract was on Wednesday sighted at the Nigeria Police College.

    The player who is Pompey’s longest serving player was with his younger brother and footballer, Ogbonnaya Kanu jogging.

    SportingLife gathered from an impeccable source that the ex-Super Eagles forward also plays football and makes use of the gym.

    “You will find him here in the morning keeping fit. I guess that is his way of retaining his fitness level since he has not been involved in any top flight football for some time,” said the source.

    Kanu should have returned to England since July for pre-season training but decided to stay put in Nigeria until the remaining 12 months of his contract is settled.

    And in a bid to drive home his case, he filed claims running into million of pounds against the Blues with the English Football League Board.

    For this reason, Portsmouth which has gone into administration has been in prolonged talks with the 35-year-old regarding a compromise agreement. They have been in talks with his lawyer, Samuel Okoronkwo.

    The former Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo is among the top football personalities expected to grace today’s football forum Soccerrex at the Oriental Hotel.