Recently, the new leadership of the Nigeria Police has been engaging with critical stakeholders, particularly members of Nigeria’s banking community, one of the end users of the services being provided by the force, on the best way to deploy national policing asset to meet contemporary security challenges.
The consultative engagement of the police leadership is propelled by the worrisome dimension of security challenges in the recent time, which the new Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris believed can only be tackled through participatory approach, and co-operation of all stakeholders.
Some of the practical contemporary security challenges which the nation is being confronted with ranges from the activities of the insurgents across the country, mounting cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, and increasing violent threats to lives and property.
These prevailing criminal activities, according to security experts have continued to undermine national peace and tranquility, with its attendant consequences on the nation`s ability to attract new investments as well as maintaining the existing ones.
A secured and harmonious business environment is a fundamental requirement for any nation that desires to build a functional and progressive economy, capable of delivering tangible benefits to stakeholders.
Globally, the police establishment is the only national institution empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect lives and property, as well as limit civil disorderliness in the society, in addition to being powered to use of force to maintain national cohesion.
Precisely, in line with his reform initiative, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, kick-started a seminar series for officers and men of the Force manning Special Units. The seminar, which is the first of its kind, brought together the head of operational units of 60 Police Mobile Force Squadrons (PMFs), 21 Counter Terrorism Units (CTUs), and 12 Special Protection Units (SPUs).
The Special Police Units occupies the central aspects of policing all over the world and from every indication the IG is trying to take queue from the policing architecture which is prevalent in advanced nations, such as France, Portugal, Italy, and China, among others.
Of all the special units, the services of SPU is the most demanded for by players in the nation business, and banking environment, and IGP, Idris gave a hint that henceforth, operatives of the unit are to be withdrawn from being mere bodyguard for VIPs, and be deplored to areas of critical national needs, such as banks.
As a way forward in this regard, he disclosed that the Unit is presently undergoing reorganisation and restructuring preparatory to it being deplored to areas of national needs, one of which will be provision of security in banks, and other strategic areas.
Going forward with this decision, Idris had also held a meeting with the Committee of Heads of Banks Security, which he disclosed that the SPU would take over the protection of banks from the mobile police. “Sometimes, what you want is mobile police. Most banks are saying give us mobile police. Mobile police are essentially for anti-riot purpose. “We are going to look at the possibility of using men from our SPU, who have the same training with the mobile police, if not better’’.
Providing further insight, Idris said the security of banks and their personnel was important in view of the prevailing security challenge in the country, and that because of the frequent attacks on banks, there was a need to consider the security of the environment before setting up branches.
“The Nigeria Police Force Special Units such as Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, and Special Protection Unit, are presently undergoing re-organisation and restructuring. These units will henceforth be structured in accordance with their responsibilities.
“Therefore, in line with these responsibilities, it will be against the force policy to deploy Police Mobile Force personnel into smaller units as such is the presently the case. The Force has put in motion, strategy to ensure that Police Mobile personnel are gradually replaced with the SPU personnel, who are saddled with the responsibilities of close protection of VIPs.
“In order to enhance the capacity of the SPU, their personnel will be stationed in each Police Command, contrary to the current trend where they are only stationed at Zonal Commands. This contradicts the Force structure architecture which places police Commands as the constitutional operational structure of the Nigeria Police Force and not the zone which is more of supervisory outfit of the command” he explained.
The IG further disclosed that in order to boost the capacity of the personnel to be deployed to the special units, the police administration will do all within its power to ensure that all training facilities, such as Police Mobile Training Force College in Gwoza, and at Ila Oragun, are made operational.
“This Administration is also proposing to establish a Police Special Protection Unit Training School to ensure that their personnel are given appropriate training so that they provide protection to our VIPs who requires such services professionally.
“In addition, the Counter Terrorism Unit Training School Nonwa, in Rivers State, will have its facility upgraded to ensure that our personnel are adequately trained to carry out their responsibilities. We are also planning to establish a Marine Police Training School in Bayelsa State to enable us dominate the Creeks of Niger Delta. The Nigerian Navy will be called upon to support us in setting up the school.”
“We believe that taking the above steps towards ensuring the professionalism of our Special Police Units will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police and addresses the major security challenges in this country,” he added
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