Nigerian security operatives have been urged to emphasize more on the need to promote peace, unity and stability of the country, particularly, at this period of the nation’s socio-political history.
The urge came from President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Monday in the northern Nigerian city of Kano where he re-stated the determination of his administration to pursue the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation to the later and urged the country’s security agencies to be part of this agenda by emphasizing on issues that unite the people rather than divide them.
The President said this task must be accomplished by all well-meaning Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious and regional background, adding that there was need for security agents to show more patriotism and remain loyal to the corporate existence of the country at this critical time.
He identified the major crimes hampering development in the country to include kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism, but added that his administration was determined to surmount them all.
He made this declaration through Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd) on the occasion of the passing out parade of the batch A of the Cadet ASPs/Inspectors at the Police Academy, Wudil, near Kano.
According to him, the present administration is committed to the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation and urged the various security agencies to gear up efforts towards bringing to an end the security challenges and other activities inimical to the development of the country, especially, as it affects its socio-economic and political growth.
The President challenged, particularly, the new officers comprising 263 Cadet ASPs and 222 Cadet Inspectors to invest their experience during their eighteen-month course in the protection of lives and properties, as well as reducing crime rate in the society such as armed robbery, kidnapping and the disturbing terrorism activities threatening the stability of the country.
“To the Police Academy authorities, you are expected to take note of the global challenges of the environment and re-evaluate the training curriculum, teaching methods and instructional techniques to produce professional officers that will be better equipped to deal with the multi-dimensional security challenges of today which will be carried out in tandem with instructional update and staff motivation to achieve the desired goal with the upgraded status of the Academy to a degree awarding institution, just like the Defence Academy.
“The authorities of the Academy must strike that delicate balance  between academics and policing training,” adding that there was need to emphasize on professional leadership and ethical training, using appropriate technologies and modern practices, so that these graduands can render useful services to the nation.
He also advised the graduands to display loyalty, remain alert, courageous and patriotic, reiterating that, “this nation will continue to depend on the Police Academy to produce highly disciplined officers.” In his statement at the occasion, Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC) retired Inspector-General of Police, Mike Mbama Okiro regretted that since the establishment of the institution in 1988, selection into the Academy has been on quota basis where each state of the Federation is given an equal number of slots of 12 candidates for each state.
“Before this Commission came on board, there was a law about Federal Character where you see officers join the Force at the same time, with the same qualification, but because of the quota arrangement, one person will become Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and the other will still be Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) or worse still, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), that was Federal Character at work at that time.
“When this Commission was inaugurated, we accepted that adopting it as one of our policies was well at recruitment level, we respect Federal Character, but after then, you are on your own.”Okiro added that the Commission has put in place as part of the measures to raise standards in the Force, a mechanism for recruitment in line with the M.D. YUSUF’s report and Police regulation that the minimum qualification for recruitment into the Nigerian Police will now be Ordinary National Diploma (OND), adding that the period of training for new recruit has been increased from six months to 18 months, while new recruits will now under-go polygraph text to detect state of alcoholism, drug addiction, among other habitual defects.
The Inspector General of Police in his brief speech congratulated the Cadet Officers for successful completion of their training which he described as intensive programme and urged them to be alive of their responsibilities following the complex and dynamic nature of the society where crimes and criminality have assumed a more sophisticated dimension.
Therefore, as you pass out today and subsequently get posted to your various places of primary assignment, you must continually realize that the task before you is huge and herculean and therefore, must brace for the challenges ahead.â€