. Assures international community of safety of investments, tourism
Linus Aleke in Abuja with agency report
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Tunji Disu, has said state police would deepen community policing and improve intelligence gathering.
This is as he promised the international community that Nigeria remained safe for citizens, investors and visitors.
Disu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York at the weekend that the initiative would boost community-based policing and improve intelligence gathering.
He, however, said implementation would involve extensive consultations, comparative studies and capacity building before full operationalisation.
“We are still at the teething stage. We need experience, education and comparative studies from jurisdictions already practising state police,” he said.
He expressed confidence that state police would strengthen collaboration between federal and state security institutions.
“It will bring policing closer to the people because officers will better understand the communities they serve. It will take us back to the era when almost everybody knew those policing their communities,” he added.
The police chief said closer community engagement would improve intelligence gathering, public trust and rapid response to security threats.
He reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to innovation, professionalism and strategic partnerships to sustain peace, stability and national development.
Disu, who participated in the UN Chiefs of Police Summit at the UN headquarters, said Nigeria’s sacrifices strengthened global peace.
According to him, Nigeria’s UN peacekeeping record remained a source of global pride, adding that the country never failed in its UN peacekeeping missions.
The IG said Nigeria remained one of the United Nations’ most dependable contributors to peacekeeping.
He praised Nigerian security personnel serving worldwide, saying Nigeria has contributed troops, police officers and made enormous sacrifices.
The police chief reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations worldwide.
He recalled that Nigeria began participating in UN peacekeeping operations in Congo in 1960 and has remained a dependable contributor ever since.
“There is virtually no UN mission where you will not find Nigerian personnel serving with distinction,” he said.
Disu said Nigeria had also made enormous sacrifices in global peacekeeping through the loss of many police personnel.
“The United Nations will never joke with Nigeria’s contributions because of our commitment and sacrifices,” he said.
Disu used the occasion to assure the international community that Nigeria remains safe for citizens, investors and visitors.
He said security agencies were working round the clock to protect everybody in the country.
The Nigerian police chief countered negative global perceptions of security, saying international perceptions often failed to reflect realities on the ground.
The IG said negative global perceptions of Nigeria often differed from realities experienced by visitors to the country.
“People hear stories about Nigeria, but when they visit, they are surprised by what they see. People are moving around freely.”
He acknowledged the challenges posed by insurgency and banditry in parts of the country, saying they are a spillover of the regional security challenge in the Sahel.
“These challenges are more prevalent in some areas than others. I assure you, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies are not resting on their oars. They are working daily to ensure life becomes easier for every citizen and every visitor.”
The IG reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring lasting peace nationwide.
“Our resolve remains unwavering to secure every part of Nigeria.”
Disu said security agencies remained committed to protecting lives and property through intelligence-led operations and enhanced inter-agency collaboration.
He said Nigeria was increasingly deploying advanced technology to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other emerging security threats.
“We now gather data, store it and analyse it. We are carrying out analytics that predict crime trends and what is likely to happen in the near future.”
The police chief said the Force had embraced Artificial Intelligence, surveillance systems and modern digital tools to strengthen crime prevention.
“We are deploying drones and other technology to assist us in responding to incidents across the country.”
