The Ministry of Police Affairs says that part of its key mandates includes executing Mr President’s directive on the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security duties.
It enumerated others to include developing and implementing a harmonized police reform report, amending the Police Act, and developing a community policing strategy.
The State Minister of Police Affairs, Mrs Imaan Suleiman, stated this during a 2-day retreat held in Abuja for the directorate cadre with the theme “Reenvisioning the Ministry of Police Affairs for Effective Internal Security: Strengthening Administration and Management Functions for Resilience and Efficiency”.
According to Mrs Suleiman, the Nigerian Police Force finds itself at a critical juncture, and it is currently struggling with the consequences of decades of neglect that have hindered its ability to fulfill its constitutional mandate.
“The Ministry of Police Affairs has also not been spared. However, given Mr President’s commitment to reforming the Nigerian 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 Nigerian Police Force towards improved technical and operational effectiveness,” she noted.
She 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.
“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,” she noted.
Mrs Suleiman 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; an 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 a vital role in shaping evidence-based strategies for the Nigerian Police Force,” she added.
The representative of the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Head of the Conflict and Security Programme (Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin), Mr. Annup Vyas, assured that the United Kingdom is committed to Nigeria’s Police reforms and ready to do more in the spirit of partnership.
He added that they were interested in the plan for the future, how to adapt and identify new opportunities that will meet the needs of the Nigerian system.
Also the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr.Solomon E. Arase, in his contribution emphasized that the Nigerian 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 Nigerian Police Force.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, in his address stated that the retreat is targeted at improving efficiency and enhancing the performances of the service, in the face of the current global dynamics.
“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 said.
He added that to avoid the current false alarms being raised by criminals in the society, the ministry and the Nigerian Police Force would be guarded with evidence-based statements on issues in the society.
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