Keeping Nigeria one must be achieved, Makinde tasks police

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, on Monday, tasked the police to always be guided in its policing activities by the need to keep the nation one.

Makinde, represented by his deputy, Mr Rauf Olaniyan, gave this charge when 68 squadron commanders on the combat training course at Ila-Orangun paid him a courtesy visit at governor’s office.

Stressing that the police must strive for professionalism in its policing of the country, he tasked the police to continuously optimise their training to cushion the nation’s security challenges.

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He lamented that the nation faces several security challenges ranging from armed robbery to kidnapping, Boko Haram, terrorism, ethnic clashes, herdsmen/farmers clashes.

While appreciating the decision of the police to set up another mobile unit on the Oyo/Osun axis, Makinde assured of the commitment of the state government to engendering a secure state for the citizenry.

State Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, who accompanied the squadron commanders, avowed that the retraining will enable police officers to be better equipped with combat techniques.

Leader of the visiting “punching squad”, ACP Livingstone Orutugu noted that police officers, with the training, were being empowered to combat violent crimes and attack crisis.

Describing the police mobile force as the striking arm of the police, Orutugu said the squadron commanders were assessing the peculiar security challenges of each state of the country with a view to attacking them in a specific manner.

While noting that the squadron commanders were proceeding to Jos, Plateau state, for the next phase of their training, Orutugu expressed confidence that its recommendations will be implemented by the Force headquarters to address the various security challenges facing the nation.