By Adewole Kehinde
“You need to commit, and once you make it, then life will give you some answers.” – Les Brown
I was full of smiles when the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, September 14, 2023, reeled out some of his achievements in the last five weeks.
This is a man with full passion and dedication to work, especially in ensuring the renewed hope of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is achieved.
According to the IGP, in the past five weeks, committed police officers have demonstrated relentless determination in upholding law and order. Through meticulously planned and well-coordinated operations driven by actionable intelligence, the Nigeria Police Force has effectively disrupted multiple infamous criminal syndicates involved in organized crimes, leading to the arrest of 288 armed robbery suspects, 187 kidnap suspects, 198 homicide suspects, 59 suspects for possession of prohibited firearms, 168 suspects involved in cases of rape, defilement, and other sexual offences, 265 suspected cultists, and 1891 suspects for various crimes.
Also, a total of 127 firearms of different calibres, 612 assorted rounds of ammunition, and 89 stolen vehicles were recovered nationwide, while 71 kidnapped victims were rescued unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families and loved ones within the same period of five weeks.
Although I have commended the IGP on the ad hoc committee tasked with the comprehensive review of firearms licensing and regulations in line with the Firearms Act and other extant laws, I want to call on all Nigerians to assist the police by reporting all suspicious firearms-related activities to the nearest police stations as well as taking advantage of police social media platforms for prompt response and action.
On the Special Intervention Squad (SIS), I was so excited when the IGP said that a team of 25 trainers and instructors from various police colleges and training schools had been carefully selected to embark on specialized training abroad.
According to him, the mission is to give them relevant training in the Special Intervention Squad programme, an initiative aimed at equipping our personnel with advanced skills and techniques for handling complex security challenges across the country.
Another great news is that the Central Motor Registry (CMR), which was recently automated and rolled out, has revolutionized the police response to the challenge of stolen vehicles in the country.
According to the IGP, the platform affords Nigerians the opportunity to register their vehicles online, which improves the chance of recovering such vehicles if they get stolen.
He further said that in the period under review, the CMR platform has witnessed a total registration of thousand, two hundred and forty-four (1,244) vehicles, out of which two hundred and thirty-four (234) were found to have been reported stolen on the platform. The swift response of the CMR desk officers in conjunction with field operatives has led to the recovery of 46 stolen vehicles so far.
This number is included in the total number of eighty-nine (89) stolen vehicles recovered in the last five weeks. Efforts are still ongoing to recover more, with the hope of recovering all. We hereby encourage members of the public to access the platform at cmris.npf.gov.ng and register their vehicles for optimum security and safety.
We all know that Nigerians, especially the youths, have taken over cyberspace, positively and otherwise. In response to the escalating cyber threats targeting the banking and financial sectors, as well as the unfortunate incidents of several unsuspecting members of the public falling prey to high-yield investment fraud (HYIF), the IGP said that the Nigeria Police Force-National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) was approved to convene a pivotal symposium that brought together compliance and fraud desk officers from various banks across Nigeria with the primary objective of fostering active collaboration and engagement in our ongoing fight against cybercrime.
He further said that, building on this initiative, a well-coordinated, intelligence-led operation was initiated, resulting in the apprehension of ten notorious cybercriminals. This operation, conducted from August 16th to 20th, 2023, was in direct response to the emergence of a novel cyber threat characterized by the creation of cloned banking websites facilitating high-yield investment scams and money laundering.
The good news is also that the arrested suspects, all male residents of the Federal Capital Territory, have provided confessions regarding their varying degrees of involvement in these criminal activities. Following the completion of the investigation, they have been charged in court accordingly.
It is high time Nigerian youths support the Police effort in sanitizing cyberspace, just as the IGP has strongly urged members of the global cyber community to maintain vigilance and promptly report any platforms promising unrealistic high returns on minimal investments or any other forms of cybercrime through the Police’s dedicated e-reporting portal at incb.npf.gov.ng
Another sterling achievement of IGP Egbetokun is the Safe Schools Initiative. I am happy to hear from the IGP that the Nigeria Police will soon be commencing the deployment of technology in the operational activities of the School Protection Squad, as the Force has engaged technical partners who are already collaborating with the Police in this regard.
Nigerians may wish to know that the focal officers as well as strategic managers have already undergone training in preparation for the implementation of this technology-driven approach. I witnessed the huge success of the launch of the Standard Operating Procedure manual for the Schools Protection Squad (SPS) on August 9, 2023, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
According to the IGP, the Standard Operating Procedure manual serves as a comprehensive guide outlining the operational framework for the School Protection Squad. It delineates the unit’s organizational structure, mobilization procedures, and code of conduct for its officers. Additionally, it establishes protocols for collaborative efforts with other security agencies, ensuring a coordinated response to threats against educational institutions with operative strategies including intelligence gathering, community policing partnerships, fostering police-public cooperation, collaborating with other agencies, securing internally displaced persons (IDPs), deploying logistical assets, offering humanitarian services, and providing training to school managers, teachers, and local communities to effectively respond to emergencies.
IGP Egbetokun’s administration has approved a revised gender policy for the Nigeria Police Force, which was recently launched to cater to the gender sensitivity of our present climate as a follow-up to efforts aimed at promoting gender inclusivity and enhancing professional development within the Nigeria Police Force.
I am told his administration has overseen a mentoring programme for young female officers. This initiative aligns with its commitment to implementing the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. The programme, which began with an interactive session led by the Force Gender Advisor and other senior female officers, aims to equip young female officers with the skills and confidence needed for successful careers.
He further said that they will receive continuous mentorship and guidance from experienced female officers, fostering personal and professional growth that will, in turn, promote attitudinal and behavioural change in our officers. Not only the female officers but also the male officers will benefit from this initiative. The Nigeria Police Force is dedicated to fostering gender diversity and inclusivity at all levels as we adapt to modern challenges, contributing to a more effective and resilient policing system in Nigeria.
One of the most paramount things for the IGP is discipline. No wonder he said that discipline is paramount in entrenching professionalism, and he will spare no effort in instilling and upholding discipline among the officers.
He reiterated that the IGP Monitoring Unit and X-Squad operatives, along with supervisory senior officers, are now being deployed to check the checkpoints on highways to ensure strategically placed and corruption-free checkpoints that prioritize public safety and minimize inconveniences.
The IGP acknowledged concerns about checkpoints; he believes that they are vital for visibility policing, so he urged members of the public to be patient with police operatives deployed to the checkpoints. He also said that their presence at the checkpoints was for the safety of Nigerians.
Just like the IGP has reiterated, members of the public who experience any ugly encounter with the men are urged to report such ugly experiences promptly through the phone numbers that have been publicized nationwide. If the experience is also pleasant, they may as well share it with the Nigerian police.
Accountability and transparency have been the number-one priorities of IGP Egbetokun. To bolster accountability and transparency within the force, he has taken steps such as reinforcing the IGP Monitoring Unit and the Complaint Response Unit based at the force headquarters, and efforts are ongoing to establish CRU offices in all states.
He has earlier given a directive to all state commissioners of police to establish CRU offices in their respective state command headquarters as part of its commitment to combating corruption and improving professionalism in the Nigeria Police Force. The IGP has also given a deadline of three weeks to those command commissioners of police who have yet to comply.
When it comes to welfare, give it to IGP Egbetokun. He is a man who understands the importance of welfare to bolster the efficiency of police officers very well.
I am aware that he has commenced the review of the policy and contract agreements on renovating, remodelling and reconstructing existing police barracks and office accommodation infrastructures around the country.
The appointment of Mr Hakeem Oguniran as the Executive Consultant to drive a special housing agenda for the police is another great appointment by the IGP. He will help strengthen the board of the Nigeria Police Force Properties Development and Construction Company.
I was so excited to hear that the IGP has given full approval for the commencement of an extensive nationwide reorientation programme for all police personnel and men to be anchored by the Department of Training and Development. This will further catalyze a transformative journey, emphasizing essential facets such as cultivating emotional intelligence, ethics, and professional conduct, refining effective communication skills, and instilling positive values across the ranks of the esteemed Force.
This is just the beginning of the success story for IGP Kayode Egbetokun. The Nigeria Police Force under him has taken shape as what a police force should be. Nigerians must support the IGP with prayers and the sharing of their ideas to make the police force the best in Africa and the world at large.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached at 08166240846 or kennyadewole@gmail.com
