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The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, has launched a town hall engagement to catalyze grassroots understanding of security dynamics and foster community-specific solutions.
Speaking at the Renewed Hope Police Agenda: Citizens Town Hall Engagement on Strengthening Community Policing in Nigeria, she emphasized that security is inherently local and must reflect the unique characteristics, challenges, and strengths of each community.
Imaan highlighted the importance of community policing, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, which prioritizes the security and welfare of the people. She noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed security at the center of his administration’s eight priorities, and the Renewed Hope Police Agenda is designed to reposition the police force to fulfill its mandate.The Minister outlined six foundational pillars to strengthen the Nigeria Police Force, including Technical and Operational Excellence, Infrastructure Advancement, Welfare Enhancement, Policy Framework Development, Re-branding, Strategic Communication, and Public Trust Management.
In her words, “Security is local, and we must acknowledge and embrace the unique dynamics of each community in our pursuit of a safer nation. Today’s town hall is a reflection of the significant shift in our approach to policing. As you may be aware, Section 14(2)(b) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 puts the security and welfare of our people as the government’s priority”. Imaan added that Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed security at the centre of the administration’s eight(8) priorities, and they have commenced the implementation of the Renewed Hope Police Agenda, which will ensure that our police force is strategically repositioned to fulfill its mandate.
According to her “At the heart of this Renewed Hope Police Agenda is the implementation of a community policing strategy that is designed based on local peculiarities and considerations, with the full participation of members of the various communities and stakeholder blocks, to ensure inclusivity and full ownership. The Minister of State opined that Nasarawa State is unique in terms of security. The state is home to a very diverse andrapidly growing community. She noted that Nasarawa has substantial mineraldeposits that attract both local and international attention. Its proximity tothe Federal Capital Territory (FCT) brings significant socio-economic opportunities but also increases the security burden.
She stressed.Imaan reiterated that the RenewedHope Police Agenda for Nasarawa State, therefore, seeks to build on localefforts while supporting the existing collaborations that have made Nasarawa ashining example of effective security measures within the North Central Region.
She outlined the six foundationalpillars that serve as strategic frameworks carefully designed to redefine andstrengthen the Nigeria Police Force such as Technical and OperationalExcellence: Infrastructure Advancement: WelfareEnhancement: Policy Framework Development: Policy Framework Development and Re-branding,Strategic Communication, and Public Trust Management.
The National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Alhaji Mogaji Ibraheem Olaniyan represented by the National Vice Chairman, Don Kenneth Otuonunyo stated that police are the main focus in policing and security revolves around them noting that there is a wide gap between Nigeria Police Force and the society making the policing difficult in the country.He added that the community must be ready to collaborate with the police by giving necessary information that will enhance their performance in the country. Police work 24 hours every day without a break and they need support and encouragement to succeed. Mogaji stressed.
The Executive Governor of Nasarawa state, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule said that the state is willing to collaborate with the Ministry of Police Affairs and Nigeria Police Force to enhance policing in Nigeria and urged the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to support the Renewed Hope Police Agenda to achieve its objectives. In his welcome remarks, the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun represented by the Deputy Inspector General, (Intelligence), DIG Dasuki Galadachi revealed that the Inspector General of Police in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) has approved the Crime Data Analysis and Mapping in all the local government in the country.
