Yemi Obafemi
The Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Senator (Dr.) Ibrahim Gaidam, has urged the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) to provide sophisticated professional training for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), to tackle criminals in the country.
Gaidam, disclosed this while briefing the Honourable Minister and Minister of State on the activities of Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) by the Executive Secretary at the ministry headquarters in Abuja, saying both local and foreign sophisticated professional training should be provided to enable them to tackle terrorists.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Bolaji O. Kazeem, the minister urged NPTF to ensure that the process of training officers is strictly managed within the available funds rather than jettison necessary training for police personnel.
He said, “Instead of waiting to send 20 personnel abroad, you can send 10 that can be accommodated within available funds rather than jettison crucial professional training abroad that will impact their output to the nation”.
“The Executive Secretary and his team should come up with a strategic plan on sending personnel on training outside the country while continuing to patronize local training available in the country. We need to send some of our personnel outside Nigeria to get highly sophisticated training that would enable them to tackle crimes in the country.”
Speaking on the problem he encounter during his administration as the governor in Yobe state, the minister said Boko Haram that started in Bornu State in 2009 before it spread to Yobe State in 2011, he said it was not easy then despite the collaboration of both policemen and the military.
He also emphasized on the need to get well-trained personnel that will deal decisively with terrorists and kidnappers.
According to the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) Abdullahi Bala, said all the training programs have been successfully executed and for the Construction and Rehabilitation of Police Offices and Barracks, one hundred and eight (109) projects have been completed (100%), while thirty (30) projects are near completion (70 – 90%), and twenty-eight (28) projects are still on-going (01 – 69%)
Bala also stated the challenges facing his organization concerning the delay in the Take-Off of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund activities from June 2019 to May 2020; the delay in Annual Budget approval for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund; some inconsistencies in the NPTF Act, 2019 such as the Commencement date; problems of 0.005% Levy and its collection from companies in Nigeria among others.
Speaking further, The Honourable Minister of State, Police Affairs Hajia Imaan Sulaima-Ibrahim said the plan to equipped the police forced must be professional and standardized, adding that best practices will be deployed in the training.
She said, “It has to be standardized and tailored towards what will work for the police ecosystem and our population. It should not be about procurement alone but strategy planning that will focus on professionalism, patriotism, and transparency because our sector is one of the priority plans of Mr. President and it is critical to the National security of the country.”
