IGP gives marching order to commandants of police colleges, training institutions

By Hassan Zaggi

As the recruit training for the 2020/2021 phase of the Nigeria Police recruitment exercise commences on  January 10, 2022, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has charged Commandants of Police Colleges and training schools across the country toimpart the virtues of professionalism, knowledge, discipline, confidence,  and  critical decision-making potentials in the recruits.

The IGP gave the charge at a conference with Commandants of Nigeria Police Colleges and Training Schools in the Nigeria Police Force, in Abuja, Wednesday.

The conference, the IGP said, was “with a view to sharing my expectations with you and engaging you directly towards setting training standards, agenda, and anticipated outcomes for the 2020/2021 recruit trainees that will be under your professional tutelage.”

The training will hold in the 4 Premier Police Colleges in Lagos, Kaduna, Maiduguri and Orji River, as well as in 12 other Police Training Institutions spread across the country. 

IGP Baba stressed that: “As we proceed to the next phase, which is the training of the successful candidates, it is my expectation that all of you as strategic Heads of the Training Institutions will facilitate the process of the transition of the recruits from ‘civilianship’ to well-groomed police personnel that will see themselves as incorruptible, civil, and true security servants of the citizens with the right orientation as protectors of the rights of all Nigerians.

“This is the image that that my leadership intends to project for the average police personnel under our democratic values. 

“Our vision, therefore, is to ensure that the upcoming training is fit-for-purpose and must deviate from the old-fashioned standard that dehumanizes the recruits in a manner that turns them to hostile security servants to members of the public that they were recruited to serve. “Our plan is to emplace a new training regime that must impart the virtues of professionalism, knowledge, discipline, confidence, and _ critical decision-making potentials in the recruits.

“This is with the outcome of ensuring that they are trained appropriately and humanely enough to advance my agenda of ‘policing with courage and serving with compassion’. “

While charging the commandants to live by example and provide good mentorship to the recruits, the IGP said: “Accordingly, as custodians and guidance of the recruits, you are to provide mentorship by displaying high level of ethical standards.

“This is important because students learn more, although subconsciously, from watching and imbibing the characters and attitudes of their teachers and instructors. It is for this reason that it is important to drum it up that you must all practice what you would be preaching to the recruits. 

“Let me use this medium to remind you of this administration’s zero tolerance to acts of corruption or extortion of any form.

“Accordingly, there must be no form of extortion of the recruits by the Directing, Drill Staff or any other staff of the Police Colleges.

“Note that the Force Management Team has our ears on the ground and any form of infraction on this directive will be visited with severe sanction and appropriate disciplinary measures. “

He, therefore, revealed that adequate provisions have been made by the Federal Government for the welfare of the recruits and the Staff of the Training Colleges, saying that they should liaise with the Commissioners of Police in their respective states to ensure that adequate security arrangements are made for the protection of the Colleges.

“Equally, the training must always comply with the protocols laid down by the Presidential Panel on COVID-19. In this regard, all Staff and recruits must wear face masks and observe social distancing among other measures,” the IGP insisted. 

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for what he described as his “statesmanship, visionary leadership and firm commitment to the Nigeria Police Reform Agenda.

“Aside the enhancement of the welfare package across board for personnel of the Force, the sustenance of the recruitment process and prompt appropriation of funds for the exercise have been critical in our drive to address the historic manpower gaps that impact on our ability to optimally attain our policing mandate.”