A coalition of Northern youths and student leaders from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider an upward review of budgetary allocation to police and other security agencies in the country.
Convener and Chairman of the Coalition, Mr Isah Jabbi, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that the police in conjunction with other security agencies had continued to carry out sustained operations against terrorism and other forms of criminality.
Jabbi also highlighted that the Police had maintained a posture to defend Nigeria’s internal security, in line with President Buhari’s focus to eliminate insurgency in the country.
He said that it was a mission the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu was committed to.
“IGP Adamu understands the power of unity and that is why he maintains robust security relations with other security agencies in the county, and together they have achieved tremendous success.
“Nigeria Police remained apolitical, professional and responsive in the discharge of their constitutional roles and total commitment to the defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“IGP Adamu’s brutal confrontation of Banditry is not only a pacesetter in the history of the Nigeria Police, but he is also a man with many ‘firsts’.
“The Nigeria Police have conducted successful recruitment, training and deployment of 10,000 police recruits in line with Federal Government’s manpower development plan of the Nigeria Police.
“The force has provided Patrol Vehicles including 46 Police Smart Surveillance (CCTV Camera-on-the Move) Vehicles, Tactical Operations Vehicles fitted with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment; Armoured Personnel Carriers; Troop Carriers; and seven Anti-Riot Water Cannon Trucks.
“The Force under IGP Adamu has also achieved the Completion and launch of the Nigeria Police National Command and Control Centre (NPF-C4i), the first phase of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Data Centre (NPC & IDB),” Jabbi said.
He wondered why a force that had achieved so much would be subjected to public protests and condemnation, noting that rather than attack, the police should be commended for the fight against criminality.
Jabbi expressed fears that the ongoing protest against the police could be hijacked by enemies of the country who were targeting the Nigerian Police and their leadership.
“We are worried, that rather than encourage and appreciate the selfless commitment of our policemen to the protection of our national security, some people, have dedicated themselves to the task of blackmailing and instigating Nigerians against the police.
“This is in order to cover up for series of their atrocities, against our motherland.
“IGP Adamu has allowed reasoning to prevail by announcing a ban on the activities of SARS.
“We wish to state that the #EndSARS campaigns against the Police are calculated attempts to derail the ongoing war against crime in the country.
“The Police in spite of their untiring effort in combatting crimes in the country are not afraid of submitting themselves to public scrutiny as it has often been demonstrated by IGP Adamu-led leadership of the Nigerian Police since he took over,” Jabbi added.
He, however, called for a holistic reformation of the Nigeria Police which would see an efficient and professional well-equipped police with improved funding.
This, he said would go a long way to curtail some of the excesses of the police while on assignment or operation. – NAN.
