Protocol:

I gladly welcome you all to the second edition of the National Security Summit on Farmers-pastoralists Clashes, Kidnapping, Bank Security and other forms of violent crimes in Nigeria. Most of the people here today were present at the maiden edition of this National Security Summit last year, and your immense contribution formed an integral part of the blue print and strategies used by the Nigeria Police Force to steer the National Security Ship away from stormy waters. Therefore the importance of this gathering cannot be overemphasise most especially at this period of our Nation’s growth and development, viewing the postulated positive association of National Security to peaceful co-existence, stability and growth generally.

2    It is pertinent to note here that no nation can develop its full potentials socially, politically and economically without adequate security, peace, law and order.

This postulation is aptly captured in our constitution under section 14(2)(b) where it states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of Government”.

  1. It is generally agreed that there has been a lot of improvement in our National Security since this Government assumed power on 29th May 2015. The situation prior to that date is aptly captured by Leadership Newspaper Editorial of Saturday May 11, 2013. The paper stated as follows:-

“All residents of Nigeria are currently living in fear even though the country is not at war. No day passes without reports that scores of human beings have being killed here and there. From Borno to Adamawa and Nasarawa, the story is the same. Gunmen or insurgents with sophisticated weapons have put the security of the nation under serious threat. The number of prized security men that are being killed under these circumstances paints a gruesome picture. Recently, no fewer than 145 security officials have reportedly been killed in separate attacks that took place in Bama, Banki and Lafia. This is not underplaying the thousands of civilians that paid the supreme prize. Wherever one turns, there is blood. At no time in this nation’s history has it found itself at such a cross roads. The nation is gradually descending into a Hobbesian state: Life is laborious, Nasty, brutish and short”

  1. It is pertinent to state that within available resources the Force in collaboration and synergy with other security agencies have been able to stabilise the polity. Huge successes were recorded in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes nationwide.
  2. The Nigeria Police Force provided adequate security that ensured    Peaceful and orderly Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, and hitch free Parliamentary Elections in Imo, Kogi, Rivers and Kano States. Other achievements such as the deployments of Police Special Forces to Kaduna, Niger, Benue and Kogi States have gone a long way to stabilise the polity. These deployments have also made appreciable progress in restoring law and order in these hitherto turbulent states.
  3. Other areas of note is that, for the first time violators of our electoral laws in the River States rerun Elections which includes serving Police officers and INEC officials were made to face departmental and criminal actions in our law courts.
  4. At the inception of our administration in June last year, we strive to take all necessary steps to address the public perception of the Force by the citizenry. Some of the measures include the launching of our creed nationwide and the “Change Begins with me” mantra of Federal Government which was launched in all Police Commands in the Country.
  5. The launching of the Police creed was carried out in line with our principles of conducting police activities in line with democratic policing throughout the country. For the benefit of our audience, the present “POLICE CREED” drawn in line with principles of Democratic policing includes the following provisions which shall serve as the guiding doctrines to all Police Officers of all ranks:-

(i)    We shall police the country based on international core values of policing with integrity

(ii). We shall ensure that the rule of law prevails in our actions and activities

(iii). We shall respect diversity, display courage, show compassion and demonstrate professionalism

(iv). We shall operate within the principles of Democratic policing

(v). We shall shun corruption

(vi)  We shall make Nigeria safer and secured

  1. Over the years, the Nigeria Police Force saddled with the responsibility of policing the country has been grappling with fundamental challenges which tend to impede its optimal performance. Among these challenges are Funding, shortfall in Manpower and training and retraining.

The issue of Police Funding has been critical to all past police reforms panels in 1994, 2002, 2008 and 2015. However the issue of funding, as highlighted in those Police Reform initiatives is yet be critically addressed.

So far, the best approach to the funding of the Nigeria Police Force is the Bill which was tabled before the National Assembly in 2008 titled “Nigeria Police Reform Trust Fund” the Bill is yet to be passed by the National Assembly up till date. The Force is hereby soliciting the support and understanding of our National Assembly to give an accelerated hearing to this bill so as to adequately position the Nigeria Police Force for better funding to enable the Force discharge its statutory responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

  1. The Nigeria Police Reform Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill is to further provide a legal framework that will outline the counterpart funding arrangement between the Federal Government, the States, Local Governments, and the Organised private Sector, this is yet to see the light of the day.  When the bill is passed, the Police will be funded through a first line charge on the Federation account quarterly from the sources indicated above.
  2. Another critical challenge presently facing the Nigeria Police Force is the issue of shortfall in Police personnel to police the entire Country. It is imperative to recall that since 2011, the Nigeria Police Force has not conducted recruitment into its ranks and File cadre of the Force, until 2016, when the President and Commander -In-Chief graciously approved the recruitment of Ten Thousand (10,000) young Nigerians into the Force. The absence of recruitment of able bodied Nigerians between the years 2011 – 2016 has left a huge gap in the manpower need of the Force due to attrition as a result of retirements, death and resignations. To bridge this gap, and to attain the UN ratio requirement of 1 Police Officer to 400 citizens of a Country, the Nigeria Police Force need to recruit additional One Hundred and FIFTY Five Thousand (155,000) officers to police Nigerian population of approximately One Hundred and Eighty Two Million (182,000,000) citizens.
  3. Consequently if this requirement is taken into consideration, the Force needs to recruit at least Thirty One Thousand (31,000) Police Officers yearly for period of at least Five (5) years from now. This recommendation has been forwarded for consideration of the Federal Government.
  4. In the area of professionalization of its special Units which are necessary for most operations, the present Police management has laid out some plans to address this challenge in the ongoing Police internal re-organisation. We have laid out plans to establish more specialised training institution to address issue of specialisation within the Force in order to enhance operational efficiency and competence. In the pursuit of this plan, we are planning to establish Police training institutions in the following specialised areas and units of the Force. i.  Border Patrol Units,
  5. Close Protection Units

iii.   Marine Police Units.

The Force is therefore in advance stage of establishing a Border Patrol Training School in Kudan in Kaduna State, Border Patrol Training School in Imo State and a Marine Training School in Bayelsa State respectively.

  1.   Therefore at this juncture, I wish to appreciate and thank all persons, public and private organisations whose cooperation and supports has led to many successes and achievements for the Force in our effort to enhance our operations and other strategies being implemented to make Nigeria safer and secured. We thank your Excellencies, most especially those that provided facilities that we are currently using as training institutions.  I also wish to specially express immense gratitude to our friends and foreign partners, your Excellencies the Ambassadors and High Commissioners here present for your supports in the training and capacities building and development of the personnel of the Force.

We believe that the establishment of these schools will enhance our capacities to tackle criminalities along our Borders and the domination of the creeks of the Niger Delta and other regions against saboteurs and oil theft.

  1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW POLICE MOBILE FORCE SQUADRONS

In our effort to enhance security all over the country, the Police is increasing the capacity to respond swiftly to challenges in all States of the Federation through the establishment of more Police Mobile Force Squadrons. This we are doing with the support of the State Governments who donated facilities for the use of the Force as operational bases for our special units. So far seven (7) additional Police Mobile Force Squadrons have been established in the following States, Osun State (Ilesha), Enugu State (Nsuka), Taraba State(Takum), Niger State (Kontagora), Plateau State (Shendam), Kaduna State (Kanfanchan), and Ogun state (Awa Ijebu).

To further strengthen the capacity and the quick response status of the Police Mobile Force Squadrons nationwide, the deployment of Police Mobile Force personnel for Close Protection duties has been banned. We have therefore established a school to train Close Protection Units personnel in order to enhance their capacity and also the plan to establish more Close Protection Bases in all States of the Federation has been concluded. We therefore thank all State Governors that provided facilities for use as Bases for the Special Protection Units nationwide, and also solicit to those who are yet to do so to support us with same in their individual States accordingly. So far fourteen (14) Special Protection Bases have been established in the following States of the Federation as follows: Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Plateau, Nasarawa, the, Ogun, Rivers, Delta Bayelsa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Ondo and Zamfara.

We also wish to solicit from the other remaining State Governments to follow up and make available facilities in their States for the establishment of new Close Protection Bases in their States. This will go a long way to strengthen the Police Mobile Force Squadrons in their assigned role to face their responsibilities to response professionally to violent crimes when necessary.

  1. I want to conclude this address by appealing to all of us that security is every body’s business, and we should all join our hands to address the security challenges together.
  2. As major stakeholders we should give maximum support to the recently established “Eminent Persons Forum” in each individual State of the Federation, which is meant as a forum for major Stakeholders in our individual communities to discuss and proffer solutions to security challenges in each of our communities.
  3. I greatly appreciate and thank the Chairman of the occasion, special guest of honour, Guest of Honour, Distinguished Senators, Honourable members of House of Representative, His Lordships, Honourable Ministers, Chief of Defence Staff,Service Chiefs, Chairman and

members of Police Service Commission, my senior colleagues retired Inspectors General of Police and their deputies, Heads of other Sister Security and Safety Agencies, members of Police Management team, Senior Police officers and that of other services serving and retired, other government functionaries, Our Royal fathers and other Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, Members of the Organized Private Sector, Captains of Industry, Leaders of Herdsmen and Farmers Associations, Resource persons and Intellectuals, Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), DEPOWA, NAOWA, NAFOWA, NOWA and Wives of Heads of other Security and Safety Agencies, other Women and youth Groups, Opinion Leaders, other Stakeholders and gentlemen of the Press for attending today’s occasion.

  1. Once again, I thank you all for your attention and wish you fruitful deliberations in your various plenary sessions.

  God bless