I-G seeks collaboration to achieve security, safety mandates of police

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has called on stakeholders to collaborate with the police to enable it achieve its security and safety mandate in the country.

Adamu made the call on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration of “Operation Puff Adder”.

He pledged that the police would continue to do all within its powers to guarantee stable security across the country.

According to him, no police agency anywhere in the world, no matter how well trained, equipped or motivated can solely achieve its security mandate without the support of the community.

“It is in cognisance of this that we are sustaining our collaboration with the armed forces, intelligence community and other sister security agencies in our operations.

“For us to fully achieve our objectives, we are also soliciting the full support of the civil populace, particularly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths associations and other stakeholders,” he said.

He called on the police personnel deployed for “Operation Puff AdderII” to see their deployment as a call for national duty.

Adamu said that the force leadership and the entire country were counting on the personnel to protect them from bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and other heinous criminals.

He urged the deployed officers to ensure that the criminals were apprehended and brought to justice but added that the objective must be achieved through professionalism.

“I charge you to be civil with law abiding citizens, but be firm and ruthless with criminal elements,” he said.

Adamu said “Operation Puff Adder II” would be executed in phases and would in due course cover the entire country.

He said the mission of the operation was to strengthen security across the country.

The I-G said the operational plan of Puff AdderII was to focus on the restoration of peace and security in the North West and North Central geopolitical zones of the country.

He said the operation was to dislodge the bandits and deny them space to regroup.

Adamu said the phase one of the deployment plan would cover Zanfara, Kaduna State, Katsina State, Kogi, Nasarawa State, Niger, Sokoto State, Benue and Kebbi states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Recall that the I-G, in April 2019, inaugurated “Operation Puff Adder”, an operation informed by the commitment of the police to present an effective operational framework.

The operation was aimed at reclaiming the public space from criminals that were bent on threatening the internal security of the country.

He said: “Much as major achievements have been recorded under Operation Puff Adder the dynamic nature of crime continue to present new trends.

“This has made it imperative for us to continually reevaluate our strategies and emplace new operational architecture to sustain the gains, already recorded.”