We‘II abide by FG’s decision on state policing – Police

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced its commitment to complying with the federal government’s decision to establish state policing as a measure to tackle the country’s security challenges.

Recent discussions among stakeholders have emphasized the importance of President Bola Tinubu initiating the process for state policing to address the increasing cases of kidnappings, killings, and other serious crimes in society.

During his visit to officers and men of the state police command in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abiodun Alabi, clarified that the police would not take a separate stance on the issue, contrary to public speculation.

The DIG, who also oversees the South West region, emphasized the police force’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding the lives and property of citizens through effective collaboration with key stakeholders.

He urged officers to adhere strictly to the rules guiding their operations and warned against any form of human rights abuse, emphasizing that such actions would not be tolerated.

Alabi mentioned that as part of efforts to gather firsthand information from various commands, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had instructed DIGs to visit different states to ensure effective policing operations nationwide.

Commending the efforts of the Commissioner of Police, Kunle Akinwale, and his officers in maintaining peace in the state, he encouraged them to continue their efforts towards achieving a crime-free society.

Regarding the issue of state policing, Alabi stated, “The position of the force is that we are going to align with the federal government’s position on the issue of state policing. We don’t have any choice. The Nigeria Police Force is a federal government security agency, and whatever position the federal government takes, is what we will work with. It is not about my position or the IGP’s, it is about the government’s stance, and we will align with such a vision.”

He further explained that his visit was in compliance with the Inspector General of Police’s directive to assess the strategic deployment of resources for crime fighting and address the challenges faced by officers in the course of their duty.

Responding to concerns about the shortage of manpower, the DIG reassured stakeholders that the government is committed to addressing this gap through regular recruitment exercises.

“With the regular recruitment as we have it now, we will soon overcome the manpower challenges not only in Ekiti but across the country,” he assured.

In his remarks, CP Akinwale praised the DIG’s visit, stating that it would boost the morale of the command’s personnel and reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the security of the people.