• Pledges better welfare for officers amid M’East fallout risks
 • FG to prioritise shelter for police, increase training

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has said the role of its personnel before, during and after the 2027 elections will determine the credibility of the process, insisting on rules of engagement as well as zero tolerance for compromises.
 
Disclosing this yesterday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, noted that the NPF “is closely monitoring” developments in the Middle East amid concerns that tensions in the region could have repercussions in Nigeria.
 
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it is prioritising the welfare of the men of the Nigerian police through the provision of decent and secure accommodation, as well as commitment to professionalism through training.
 
Disu, at his inaugural conference with Strategic Police Managers in Abuja yesterday, stressed that any police officer or personnel found operating outside the rules of engagement and indulging in partisan behaviour would face disciplinary actions, including outright dismissal.
 
The new IGP pointed out that “as the 2027 election approaches, expectations of the people from the police increase,” and that under his watch, officers would have no option but to work with the Armed Forces and sister agencies to protect the sanctity of the electoral process and exhibit the highest sense of professionalism.
  
He called on all men of the force to always treat Nigerians with dignity and respect human rights.
 
According to him, this is the beginning of a new administrative face that places a premium on professionalism, accountability and welfare of the personnel.
SPEAKING with journalists after taking the oath of office administered by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the IGP said the police had intensified surveillance and patrols across the country to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
 
Nigeria’s security agencies, he noted, are aware that some religious groups in the country maintain ideological affiliations with movements in the Middle East, making it necessary for authorities to remain vigilant whenever tensions escalate in that region.
 
“That is what we call the territory. Our ears are on the ground. We know that we have different Islamic sects in Nigeria, and some of them pay allegiance to the eastern part of the world.
 
“We know that if anything happens in that part of the world, the repercussions could come here. So, we are putting all necessary actions in place,” Disu added.
 
The IGP called on the public to support ongoing security operations by providing timely and credible intelligence to the police and other security agencies.

On police reforms, Disu expressed support for the ongoing national conversation on the creation of state police, noting that the initiative could help strengthen grassroots security architecture if properly structured.
 
He also assured that the welfare of officers and men would remain a top priority of his leadership, stressing that improved working conditions, motivation and professionalism were essential to enhancing the effectiveness of the force.

ACCORDING to the Federal Government, when officers live in dignity and stability, their morals rise, their discipline is reinforced and their dedication elevated.
 
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), Mohammed Sheidu, spoke yesterday in Ado Ekiti during the commissioning of Divisional Police Headquarters and Six Man Rank & File Quarters.
 
The Trust Fund is renovating police barracks and other infrastructure nationwide to enhance institutional performance, he said, noting that the well-being of those entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve the people is well taken care of.
 
While commissioning the edifices, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, said policing could only be made easier if the officers and men of the force were comfortable and motivated.
 
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Oyeniyi Adebayo, said: “NPF is set up to manage crime, bring it to the barest minimum. If not, together eliminate it. They’re supposed to guarantee the safety of lives and property.
 
“One of the ways in which you can bring comfort and motivation to them is to make sure that they have great office accommodation and good residential quarters. So, what we’re here to do today is to commission two projects: an office complex and a complex for residents that can accommodate up to six families for the rank and file of the police force.”
 
While appreciating NPTF, the donors, the police pledged to put them to effective use for the betterment of the citizens and residents of the state, as well as the officers of the command.