The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has said that the Nigeria Police Force is making plans to rehabilitate all police colleges.
Idris made the statement at the opening of a three-day Nigeria Police Force Human Rights Training Programme at the Police College, Oji River in Enugu State on Friday.
He said he was personally concerned about decaying infrastructure in the colleges and promised that the colleges would soon have a turn-around with up-graded facilities that would aid modern police training.
“Already, there is a plan in the pipeline to rehabilitate police colleges’ infrastructure as well as up-grade learning facilities and aids in them all over the country,’’ Idris said.
The IGP-, represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr Emmanuel Inyang, expressed delight over a grant of N10 million from the Enugu State government for repair of facilities of Police College, Oji River.
“The IGP and police headquarters will thank the governor for this rare gesture,’’ he said.
Idris said that human rights had become an integral part of police training and the culture of modern policing to strengthen police relationship with members of the public.
“In this era of community policing, effective human rights observance by police officers and men will help to build the needed trust with members of the public to make us work effectively in our quest to check crime and criminality,’’ he said.
Earlier, the Commandant of college, Mr Anthony Ogboji, thanked the IGP for his support to the college.
Ogboji, however, requested for the rehabilitation of the road network, works department building, IGP Guest House and indoor games building.
“Sir, may I at this juncture, inform you that officers in this college are hardworking and disciplined, and deserve to be motivated with the payment of college allowance which has not been paid since the first quarter of 2016,’’ he appealed.
Dr Uju Agomoh, Programme Co-ordinator of Support to Justice Sector in Nigeria funded by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said the programme had been designed as train-the-trainer for police officers and men.
Agomoh said that participants at the programme would be taught all human rights rudiments with regard to police and justice service delivery.
More than 120 officers and men drawn from police commands in the South-East are current undergoing the training. (NAN)