By Hassan Zaggi
Following the insecurity ravaging different parts of the country, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, has assured that there will be improved security in the days ahead.
He gave the assurance while responding to questions from Journalists in Abuja, Wednesday, after commissioning the renovated Zone 7 Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force which is one of the over 190 capital projects he executed since the past one year.
The IGP said that even though the police and other security agencies in the country have become endangered species as they are being targeted for killings in all parts of the country, the men and officers of the Force are well motivated and that the days ahead will witness improved security in the country.
He admitted that the security challenges he met since he assumed office a year ago are still there, but that efforts were being intensified to address them and ensure Nigeria remains a secured nation.
“There is room for improvement. That challenges we met are still there. Efforts have been intensified to surmount them.
“The officers are ready, willing and motivated to carry with improving the situation and maintaining law and ensuring that crime and criminality is checked to the barest minimum,” he said.
While lamenting that police and other security agencies have now become endangered species in Nigeria, IGP Baba, therefore, charge men and officers of the Force to be careful the way they move, work, talk and in fact, all they do.
The Nigeria Police Force, the IGP said, will do more to change the narratives of what is currently happening in terms of insecurity in the North Central, North East and all parts of the country so that Nigeria can be secured.
He advised the men and officers to partner with communities they work in order to have access to information and provide the needed security.
Speaking about preparations for the 2023 general elections, the IGP revealed that plans have been concluded for the training of all cadres of officers of the Force on how to police an election, insisting that the training is mandatory for all officers to participate.
On welfare, he assured all rank and file who got their last promotion since 2017 that they should expect their next promotion within the next 24 hours.
IGP Baba explained that his leadership is giving due attention to the rank and file because, according to him, they are foot soldiers of the Force.
He, however, advised them to be committed to their work and should always dress properly.
Responding to a question on how he was able to execute over 190 capital projects within one year of assumption of office, the IGP said: “I have the support of the government. They are looking into more ways of supporting us including our working environment, barracks, salaries and wages.
“We also have support from the business community including Bankers Forum to support us in terms of getting some of our structures that have been destroyed during the End SARS protest back to life.
“We have the support to acquire more tools for investigation, interrogation and intelligent gathering and so on.
“The success is tied to the support we get from the government, the legislature and well-meaning Nigerians.”
