From Molly Kilete, Abuja
Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, met with commissioners of police and other senior police officers in Abuja, to review the worsening insecurity in the country.
The IGP, who lamented the increasing rate of insecurity in the country, saying increasing violent campaigns by armed groups have led to general apprehension among citizens and continue to present a major threat to national security.
He said the meeting was to enable the police evaluate and re-strategies towards enhancing operational response and stabilising the security order.
“An evaluation of the security situation in the country in recent times shows a concerning trend of an increase in the threat posed to the nation by terror elements, bandits, kidnappers, and other highly organised, and violent criminal syndicates.”
Baba said the meeting would among others, “review the extent of compliance with my directives that you all liaise with the Nigerian Correctional Service authorities in your areas of responsibility, jointly review the existing security architecture with a view to identifying vulnerabilities at the custodial facilities and complement the service in upscaling security in and around such facilities to prevent any further security breaches in line with the directives of Mr. President.
“In addition, the pathways to giving effect to the national security council’s resolution on the documentation and streamlining of the operations of commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders across the country as part of the national initiatives that are directed at addressing current and evolving national security threats will also be discussed.
“An evaluation of the security situation in the country in recent times shows a concerning trend of an increase in the threat posed to the nation by terror elements, bandits, kidnappers, and other highly organised, and violent criminal syndicates. The trend is being compounded by the increasing rate of arms trafficking and proliferation. This has of late occasioned an attack on the correctional facility in Kuje during which some high-profile criminals escaped.
“While the Police in conjunction with the other security agencies have succeeded in re-arresting some of the fleeing felons and have enhanced the security of the facility, this incident, and the increasing violent campaigns by armed groups in the country have led to general apprehension among the citizens and continue to present a major threat to our national security.”
He re-assured of commitment of the Police to sustain the synergy with the military and other security agencies to reverse the current internal security slide.
“We, however, cannot achieve this goal all alone. It is only by working in partnership that we can defeat the criminals who are our common enemies that are bent on altering our values for communal peace and security. I, therefore, solicit the understanding and continued support of all Nigerians, particularly, in volunteering critical pieces of criminal information which are vital to our mission of securing the public space in the most pro-active manner.”