The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, wednesday commissioned 40 units of Toyota Hilux Patrol Vans and four specially fitted Crime Scene Investigation vehicles to replace the recently dismantled Police road blocks and check points on Nigeria’s Highways.
The IGP who commissioned the vehicles in Abuja at the Force Headquarters stated that they were in fulfilment of the Police High Command’s promise to provide patrol vehicles in replacement of the road blocks.
He said the vehicles were the first phase of vehicles to be provided for re-invigorating the Police Highway Patrol Units nationwide so as to facilitate effective and efficient combating of crime on Nigeria’s Highways where officers and men of NPF face great challenges on daily basis.He warned that the vehicles should be used for the purpose for which they were provided as their misuse and abuse would be sanctioned especially as it concerns bribery no matter how small.
The. Police boss noted that, “The vehicles must be used for the purposes for which they are deployed and they are to reinvigorate the Police Highway Patrol Units nation-wide, to facilitate effective and efficient crime combat on the Highways, enhance speedy response to distress calls and generally enhance the capacity of the Police to maintain a round-the-clock presence on our highways, in line with the concept of high visibility policing.
“Officers who will be deployed for this exercise must shun all forms of corruption/unethical conducts and ensure that their firearms are used strictly in accordance with the Police rules of engagement. They must bear in mind that as servants of the people, they must accord maximum respect to the fundamental rights of the citizens at all times.
“While appealing for the cooperation, support and understanding of the public in the war against crime and criminality, the IGP assured Nigerians that more vehicles will be deployed to the Highways as soon as the Force acquires them.He also directed State Command Commissioners of Police under whose direct control and supervision are the Highway Patrol Units and within whose jurisdiction the patrol vehicles are to be deployed to ensure optimum utilization of the vehicles by providing close supervision of the men and materials under their command as well as ensuring that these officers operate within the confines of relevant laws regulating their deployment.
Three vehicles each were deployed to the Lagos-Ibadan–Ilesha axis with centre in Ibadan and Lagos-Ore-Benin axis with centre in Ore; two were deployed to Benin-Asaba with centre in Benin while three were deployed to Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria with centre in Kaduna.
Similarly three vehicles respectively were deployed to Kano-Chiromawa-Zaria axis with centre in Kano and Gusua-Sokoto axis with centre in Gusau; while two were deployed to PortHarcourt-Aba-Enugu with centre in Aba.Others include Bauchi-Damaturu-Maiduguri axis with centre in Damaturu which got two vehicles; Damaturu town also got one van while Abaji-Lokoja-Okene route with centre in Lokoja got two vans and Abaji-Gwagwalada-Zuba axis wit centre in Gwagwalad also got two vans.Onitsha-Owerri Highways with centre in Onitsha got two vans; Abuja-Keffi-Jos New Road with centre in Keffi got two vans while Gombe-Yola with centre in Gombe also got two and Sokoto-Brinin Keffi-Yauri with centre in Birnin-keffi got two; just as two were also deployed to B/Gwari-Mokwa-Jebba with centre in Mokwa.Suleja Town-Ilorin-Ogbomosho-Ibadan with centre in Ogbomosho got two and Benin-Auchi-okene axis with centre in Auchi also got two vans