Security: Police will not partner with outlawed groups— IGP

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, on Friday vowed that the Nigeria Police Force NPF under his watch would not partner with any outlawed group in effective Policing the country under whatever guise but could  only engage them

The Police Boss made the clarification in Abuja  during his maiden conference with Senior Police Officers from the tank of Commissioners of Police and above along with the members of the Police Management Team

He was responding to an inquiry concerning whether or not the police would partner with non-state actors such as the ex-militant leader, Asari Dokubo, who accused security agencies of being complicit in oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region

The made it clear that the NPF under his leadership would do no such thing.

According to him, “Of course, we will engage all groups, but we won’t partner with outlawed groups,”

He further stressed the need for police to be proactive to prevent rather than react to criminal activities in the country.

Recall that Dokubo, while addressing journalists after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House last Friday, accused security agencies, particularly the military, of being complicit in oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.

The ex-militant leader had claimed that ordinary citizens cannot garner the resources and technology needed to engage in oil bunkering, especially connecting pipes directly to oil heads to tap crude.

Dokubo, who denied having a private security force, said he had been instrumental in quelling the crisis in the Niger and Kaduna axis of the country.

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Addressing the Senior Police Officers, he urged them to redouble their efforts at ensuring adequate security of lives and properties in their areas of responsibilities

He also assured improved welfare for police officers, while reiterating his commitment to improved interagency collaboration between the police and other security agencies.