Ahead of this month’s general elections, the Federal Government has commissioned the first batch of 2,554 patrol vehicles for the police.

They include 300 operational vehicles, four Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, double-cabin armoured patrol vans, and 129 Frontier vans.

The development came even as the government said it had spent N125bn in the last five years to reform the force and boost its operational capacity.

It said within the same period, it had trained about 65, 000 officers and men of the force in areas of operations, administration, intelligence and others.

Speaking at the commissioning of the vehicles yesterday at the Eagle Square, Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan said the vehicles would boost the operational capacity of the police in its bid to ensure adequate security before, during and after the elections.

Represented by Vice- President Namadi Sambo, the President described the gesture as “the first largest, singular provision by any government.”

He said the present administration, as part of its transformation agenda, was determined to “bequeath a well-equipped, people-oriented police force” to Nigerians.

He recalled that a projection of N1.5trn was made over a six-year period for a comprehensive reform of the police.

The President added that to realise this, counterpart funds were to come from the federal, state and local governments as well as donor agencies.

Jonathan, however, regretted that so far, only the Federal Government had been providing funds for the implementation of the reforms since 2010 when it began.

“The procurement (of the patrol vehicles) is aimed at boosting the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force towards providing fool-proof security for the forthcoming elections in particular and the general security of lives and property,” he said.

He hoped that the police would reciprocate the government’s gesture by applying the vehicles to achieve intended results.

“The procurement of these vehicles is aimed at boosting the capacity of the Nigerian Police Force to deliver effectively, efficiently and appreciably.

“A well-equipped and adequately motivated police will assist in no small measure in ensuring the security needed in the drive to economic growth and development of Nigeria.

“And in view of the strong commitment of government to provide for the Nigeria Police Force within available resources, it is my hope that the gesture by government, will be reciprocated by assisting the Independent National Electoral Commission in ensuring the conduct of free elections this month.

“It is also expected that the deployment of these operational vehicles will translate to enhanced surveillance of our communities in order to improve security.

“I call on the politicians, the aspirants, their supporters and their sympathisers to eschew all forms of violence and unlawful practices, both in words and conduct, before and after elections.

“Let us eschew any form of violence, we should condemn any form of voilence before, during and after elections, we should know that elections will come and go but Nigeria will remain as one nation and one people,” Jonathan said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, said the commissioning of the new patrol vehicles, would strengthen the operational capacity of the force and boost its readiness for the elections.

He promised a comprehensive implementation of strategic guidelines to ensure that the 2015 elections were effectively secure and generally peaceful. The IGP added that “with these vehicles, the police are also better prepared to present a stronger challenge against all forms of crimes which have been threatening public security and safety in the country.”

The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, said the current administration’s reforms in the police force had helped in the reduction of accidental discharges and training of more personnel.

A breakdown of the vehicles showed that there were 170 NP300 hard body patrol pick-up vans, 129 Frontier double-cabin patrol vehicles, 50 Patrol 4WD jeeps, 10 double- cabin armoured patrol vans and four Ford 550 model 4X4 armoured personnel carriers.

•Adapted from a National Mirror report. Photo shows IGP Abba.