Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has revealed that the 36 state governors endorsed the payment of one percent of excess crude fund for use by the Nigerian Police.
Governor Uduaghan who disclosed this at the weekend in Asaba when he played host to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, explained that it was informed by the importance of peace and security to the development of the country and particularly to meet the infrastructural and security needs of the police.
According to him, the Governors saw the need for the Police to update its equipments and manpower to acceptable standard worldwide as well as meet the current security challenges facing the country.
He commended the IGP who was in the State to present his stewardship to Nigerians, for effectively tackling the various security challenges as well as for the synergy among the various security agencies in the country, stressing: “ Such cooperation should be extended to the state and local government levels so as to reduce the crime level to the barest minimum”.
Uduaghan noted that the security challenges Delta State has contended with including kidnapping, piracy, armed robbery and crude oil theft have drastically reduced because of the efforts of the security agencies in the state.
Speaking earlier, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar appreciated the State Government’s support and partnership with the Police Force in ensuring a peaceful, secured and safer environment stating that “if all state governors are like Dr. Uduaghan in supporting the Police, the country will be more secured and safer than it is today”.
The IGP commended the cooperation of community vigilante groups with security agencies in ensuring that the state was made safer and peaceful for Deltans.
He explained that he was in the state for the presentation of his Scorecard to Nigerians stating that “ we believe we should have time to look at where we are and strategize to meet tomorrow’s security challenges”.
The Inspector General of Police expressed his gratitude to the federal government and the 36 states government for approving the payment of one percent of the excess crude account to meet the infrastructural and security needs of the police.
Meanwhile, during the Scorecard presentation to Nigerians by the Inspector General of Police(IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan warned community leaders to desist from protecting criminals in their midst as they would be prosecuted as accessories to the crime.
According to him, “Elders and leaders should help to fish out criminals in their communities and should not protect or celebrate criminals because anyone caught doing so will be treated as criminals.”
In particular, the Governor condemned the attitude of elders and people of Kokori community in the state who has made it difficult for security operatives in the state to fish out the remnants of the kidnap and armed robbery gang living among them.
He observed that the leaders and elders in the communities who celebrated their children involved in criminal activities only portray their communities in bad light: “This is bad especially when the state is doing all within its power to fight crime”.
He commended the Police for employing community policing in the reduction of crime in Delta State, adding that all the security agencies have ensured that Delta State is safe for people and organizations to carry out their business.
“Today, Delta State is safe. Criminal activities have been greatly reduced. This is as a result of the collaboration among security agencies in the state”.
Presenting his stewardship and achievements, the Inspector General of Police Mr. Mohammed Abubakar stated that the Federal Government has approved a new Police Pension Board to be managed by the Police as a result of the loss of their 300billion naira in the previous pension fund.
The Inspector General observed that corruption have been reduced by about 80% in the Nigerian Police force by the removal of road blocks saying “We are doing our very best to ensure that corruption is reduced in the police force. Several police officers have been dismissed from the force as a result of bribery and corruption”.
He explained that when his administration came on board about 110,000 police were due for promotion adding that 75,000 officers have been promoted while the remaining 35,000 would begin their training for promotion in January 2014.
The IGP stressed the need for Nigerians to cooperate and collaborate with the Police stating that Police officers have been made to obey laws as one of the steps to ensure that they were good enforcers of the law.
According to him, “enforcers of law must not be seen breaking the law, we ensure attitudinal change and introduced a new code of conduct for the Nigeria Police.”
