Buhari unveils 628 new ASPs, urges professionalism, security of lives, property

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the Nigeria Police Force to prioritise professionalism and security of lives and property in all its dealings.

Commissioning 628 cadets of the Regular Course Two of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano, the president, who was special guest of honour, charged the force to be gallant and courageous in the anti-crime fights nationwide.

He reaffirmed that his administration would keep making the nation safe.

Stressing that the police remain the critical pillar of the domestic security agenda, Buhari noted that it was important to have “orderly, disciplined and modern police officers.”

He told the graduating officers that, ‘’as you attain this milestone, I implore you to operate professionally, gallantly and courageously as we continue to make Nigeria a safe and secure country for all law-abiding individuals.”

The president went on: “You will soon commence your operational duties. Therefore, you must always remember that Nigeria, and indeed Nigerians, have entrusted to you the assignment to protect their lives and property.

“This trust must be taken very seriously while upholding the principle of civil policing by leveraging national and international best practices.

“On our part, we will continue to fund and support the Nigeria Police Force and its institutions to ensure you deliver on your mandate. This is why we created a dedicated Ministry of Police Affairs.”

Buhari, who congratulated the cadets on successfully passing through the rigorous academic and professional training, recalled that the academy was established to produce officers with requisite knowledge and skills to police the country effectively and uniquely.

In his remarks, the institution’s commandant, AIG Zanna Ibrahim, appealed to the president to provide the academy with more finances to undertake modern law enforcement strategies.

He also sought support for the passage of the Police Academy Bill currently before the National Assembly, noting that the proposed piece of legislation would boost the organisation’s chances of fulfilling its mandate and objectives.

Ibrahim revealed that the academy would soon introduce courses on cybercrime, gender issues, criminal justice and administration, public security, intelligence as well as peace and conflict resolution.

He said the introduction was to justify the upgrade of the institution to a university status and “also to contribute meaningfully to the minimisation, if not, the eradication of the security challenges facing the country.”

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of a sword of honour by the president to the best graduating cadet, ASP Peter Alogo Joseph.

He also decorated Lawal U. Abdullahi to symbolically commission all the 628 ASPs.