Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has promised that the Federal Government would prioritise the reform, re-orientation and re-equipment of the Nigeria Police.
Osinbajo made the promise on Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of operational vehicles for the deployment of policemen to liberated communities in the North-East.
In his speech at the occasion, Osinbajo described the police as “a critical actor in the criminal justice system of the country.’
“Consequently, any nation that is desirous of national security, economic development and democratic governance must of necessity be determined to evolve a people friendly and rule of law compliant police force,” he said.
The Vice President noted that it was based on this that Preseident Muhammadu Buhari approved the recruitment of 10,000 personnel and extra budgetary attention extended to the police.
He said that the government had also explored diplomatic channels for capacity building and functional training designed to reposition the police.
He said that with the inauguration of the vehicles, effect had been given to the initiative of government to deploy police to the North-East.
“It is the expectation of the government that with the acquisition of operational assets, the capacity of the police to support the integration process in the north-East will be engendered,” he said.
Osinbajo added that with the acquisition of the operational vehicles, the challenges of kidnapping and organised crimes which had threatened the nation’s security would be a thing of the past.
He commended policemen who paid the supreme price in the fight against terrorism and other internal engagements.
He urged serving police personnel to remain courageous and professional in the discharge of their duties and promised that the federal government would provide all necessary logistics to stabilise communities in the North-East.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase said that the vehicles would be deployed as part of logistics for security stabilisation in the North-East.
He said that the vehicles would also be deployed to strengthen other internal security operations of the police, including safer highway patrol scheme across the country.
“As of today, over 600 vehicles have been deployed in this internal security architecture,” he said.
The I-G promised that the momentum to reposition the police would be sustained as a legacy to be bequeathed to Nigerians by this administration.
NAN reports that the vehicles inaugurated included 200 Toyota Hilux double cabin vehicles, springbuck armoured personnel carriers and 15 Mercedes Benz troop saloon cars.
Others are nine water tankers, 50 Toyota salon cars, 20 Toyota hilux armoured vans, five Camry salon cars, three ambulances, assorted communication and power generating items and tents. (NAN