The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim has hinted that the key mandate of the Ministry is to prosecute presidential directives on the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security duties and developing a community policing strategy.

The minister stated this during a 2-Day Retreat for the Directorate cadre with a theme: “Envisioning the Ministry of Police Affairs for Effective Internal Security: strengthening Administration and Management Functions for Resilience and Efficiency holding at the Wetland Hotel, Abuja.

The Minister stated that the mandates are not mere tasks but transformative initiatives that can enhance internal security in Nigeria, noting that the two-day management retreat will inspire a collective commitment to align efforts of the Ministerial mandate to contribute to the realization of Mr. President’s vision for a renewed, highly effective Nigeria Police Force.

She recalled that the Nigeria Police Force finds itself at a critical juncture and currently struggling with the consequences of decades of neglect that have hindered its ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate.

In her words, “the Ministry of Police Affairs has also not been spared. However, given Mr President’s commitment to reforming the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry is now positioned at the forefront of the Police transformation agenda, and it must rise to the challenge. The Ministry must bear this weighty responsibility of ensuring coordination and creating the enabling frameworks to steer the Nigeria Police Force towards improved technical and operational effectiveness”.

Imaan opined that management staff must demonstrate unwavering commitment and the will required to yield tangible results adding that the Police Inspectorate Department, in particular, should evolve its operations to focus on robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning. She said, “Reports must be factual, practical, evidence-based, and serve as critical tools for enhancing police performance. It must champion the review of the curriculum of the training institutions to ensure they are reflective of the evolving landscape of law enforcement, incorporating contemporary practices and international standards”. The Minister charged the Police Service and Planning, Research, and Statistics Department to ensure administrative optimization and relevant policies as well as procedures for the Police to be up to date, adoption of Cutting-edge Technology, intelligence-led, technology-driven, inclusive, and community-based Police Force in Nigeria. “Fostering partnerships with renowned research institutions and staying current with global trends, this department will play vital role in shaping evidence-based strategies for the Nigeria Police Force. She stressed. In his goodwill message, the representative of the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Head of the Conflict and Security Programme (Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin), Mr. Annup Vyas said that the United Kingdom is committed to Nigeria’s Police reforms and ready to do more in the spirit of partnership adding that they are interested in the plan for the future, how to adapt and identify new opportunities that will help the need of Nigeria system. In his contribution, the Chairman, of the Police Service Commission, Dr.Solomon E. Arase expressed that the Nigeria Police Force is fundamental to the Ministry, as to the Commission adding that the principal mandate of both organizations is to ensure the smooth functioning and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force. In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo stated that the retreat is targeted at improving efficiency and enhancing performances of the service, in the face of the current global dynamics. In his words, “I would like to encourage every participant at this retreat to be resilient in service delivery. We must never tire of improving ourselves and our performance; we must never be shy of telling ourselves the truth”. He added that to avoid current false alarms being raised by criminals in society, the Ministry and Nigeria Police Force would be guarded with evidence-based statements on issues in the society. (The Guardian)

•Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (C) and other dignitaries at the 2-Day Retreat for the Police Directorate cadre

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