Makinde tasks police on national unity

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says the task of keeping Nigeria united remains with the police, the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports.

Makinde, represented by his deputy, Mr Rauf Olaniyan, said this on Monday when a team of 68 Squadron Commanders currently undergoing a course in Osun paid him a courtesy visit in Ibadan.

“The police have enormous tasks to perform as regards protection of citizens’ lives and property under the civil government that the nation operates, ” he said.

He charged the police not to relent in its constitutional responsibility of protection of lives and property of all Nigerians.

The governor added that the special course for the Squadron Unit Commanders would enhance the performance of the respective units after the completion of the programme.

He further commended the police for its efforts at combating criminal activities in the state, saying his administration would continue to maintain good relationship with the force and other sister security agencies.

The governor said his administration’s acknowledgment of the importance of the Police prompted the appointment of a retired Police Commissioner, Mr Fatai Owoseni, as his Special Adviser on Security Matters.

He also expressed gratitude over the approval of the establishment of an additional new Squadron Unit of the Mobile Police Force in the state by the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Shina Olukolu, said members of the team were 68 Assistant Commissioners of Police and Squadron Commanders on Combat Operations Leadership Course 1 at the Police Mobile Force Training Centre, Ila- Orangun, Osun.

Olukolu said the officers deemed it fit to pay the courtesy visit to the governor because the Mobile Police Force training school falls within the Zone 11 of the Nigeria Police which controls Oyo State.

He said the course was a reflection of the policy thrust of the IGP on training and retraining of personnel.

The leader of the Squadron team, Mr Livingstone Orutugu, said the training was aimed at equipping the Squadron Commanders across the 68 unit commands in the country with professional competence.

Orutugu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said the IGP saw the need to upgrade the knowledge of the commanders in line with the strategic offices they were holding,

”The 68 officers were drawn from across the country and brought to the MPF training school at Ila- Orangun to be given professional training and job specific knowledge of Squadron Commanders,” he said.