Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Police Force has announced the establishment of its K-9 Section in all railway stations in the country.
The deployment of the dogs according to the Inspection General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, shall be for patrols, surveillance, detection, and apprehension of felons in and around railway facilities.
The IGP said before now, the police had dispatched about 1,000 additional personnel to the Nigeria Police railway command to address the shortage in manpower and prevent vulnerabilities, projected threats, and other security challenges that may result because of the increasing human traffic and expanding assets of the Nigeria Railway Corporation.
At a ceremony held at the force headquarters to formally launch the Nigerian Police K-9, Section, the IGP, said that aside patrols, surveillance, detection and apprehension of criminals, it would also ensure the security and safety of passengers and critical infrastructure of the Nigeria Railway Corporation.
Adamu, while noting that the initiative was part of Operation Puff Adder arrangement to compliment the existing security measures on ground, said: “With today’s initiative, passengers, staff, and indeed, all the citizens of this country can further be re-assured of their security as they patronise the services of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
“By this event, our plan is to maximise our unique K9 strength to complement other sections that have been deployed as part of the broad-policing architecture which we recently put in place towards addressing our internal security challenges.”
He said: “I can also assure that all the assets of the police shall continually be mobilised and deployed towards denying criminal elements of any space to operate in any location in the country. We, however, continually solicit the cooperation of all.
“We encourage all citizens to embrace the concept of ‘if you see something, say something.’ Indeed, our appeal now is ‘if you suspect something, say something’. This is a civil obligation of all citizens and this is the most potent weapon towards collectively winning the war against elements bent on threatening our security.”
He commended officers and men of the police K9 Section for their resolve and commitment at ensuring that the maximum capabilities of the dogs are harnessed for the security and safety of the country even as he assured that their welfare and that of the dogs would always be a priority.
He charged them to be of good conduct and operate within the professional ethics as they proceed to their respective railways stations across the country in service of their fatherland.