Nigeria Police to deploy 6,000 officers to communities retaken from Boko Haram

The Nigeria Police Force says it will launch the first phase of the deployment of more than 6,000 policemen to liberated communities in the North-East on Friday.

Solomon Arase, the Inspector-General of Police, disclosed this at the second Round table on security stabilisation in the Northeast in Abuja on Thursday.

The round table was organised by the police in collaboration with the British Embassy.

Mr. Arase had promised that over 6,000 personnel of the force would be deployed to liberated communities in the northeast to restore police primacy and civil authority.

“I can confirm that by tomorrow Friday, March 18, the logistics procured and personnel mobilised for the first phase of the deployment will be launched,’’ said Mr. Arase said Thursday.

He said that following the outcome of the last round table, the police had heightened the deployment process of personnel to the region.

Mr. Arase explained that in addition, massive human and material assets have also been mobilised while the engagements of the military and local communities were being pursued vigorously.

He said efforts and strategies of the Federal Government had further strengthened the determination of the police to end terrorism in the country.

“The successes so recorded, can best be consolidated with sincere and workable plans expected to be the outcome of this roundtable,’’ he said.

Mr. Arase charged the participants to come up with a working guide for the police in planning for its deployment to the northeast.

“The task that lies ahead of us this morning is to consolidate on what we have so far started.

“Our honest contributions will go a long way in changing the narratives in the northeast in particular and Nigeria in general,’’ he said.

In attendance were representatives of the Army, Air force, Immigration, among others.

Meanwhile, Mr. Arase has urged officers and men of the force to key into the police housing scheme.

Mr. Arase made the call at the balloting for the pre and post-service housing scheme in Abuja on Thursday.

He noted that the scheme was one of his administration’s efforts to achieve a virile, focused and corruption-free police.

Mr. Arase said the desire by officers and men to own a house had remained one of the reasons for corruption in the force.

He said the construction of 100 units of two bedroom bungalow semi-detached houses each have been completed in Benin, Enugu, Katsina and Yola.

Mr. Arase said this batch is specifically for the Inspectors and rank and file cadres of the force.

“I want to assure you that this scheme is already in the process of being replicated in all the states of the federation including Abuja,’’ he said.

He assured all officers and men seeking to key into the scheme that they would have access to decent and affordable houses.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Cooperative Society Ltd, Dorothy Gimba, said that 20 per cent of the houses would be sold to members of the public.

She said the decision was to foster the concept of police community partnership.

Ms. Gimba urged officers and men to support the laudable vision of the Inspector-General of Police.

The highpoint of the occasion was the picking of the ballot papers by Arase and the announcement of winners of the houses in the four states.

(NAN)