Tinubu Moves to Reposition Police Force, Orders Nationwide Overhaul of Training Institutions
The Federal Government has commenced a bold step toward repositioning the Nigeria Police Force for more efficient and effective service delivery through an on-the-spot assessment of police and other security training institutions across the country.
The initiative, directed by President Bola Tinubu, aims to address long-standing challenges facing the nation’s security agencies, including inadequate infrastructure, poor welfare, and low remuneration.
Enugu State Governor and Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) Committee on the Overhaul of Police and Other Security Training Institutions, Peter Mbah, disclosed this during the commencement of the committee’s facility tour at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja. He clarified that the initiative was not a reaction to the recent comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about Nigeria’s security challenges.
Governor Mbah said President Tinubu is determined to transform the Nigeria Police Force into a modern and professional institution that Nigerians will be proud of.
According to him, the committee’s comprehensive report—complete with cost implications—will be submitted within one month and treated as an emergency, with immediate interventions expected from the presidency.
He explained that the need for modern training equipment and facilities had become imperative, lamenting that most security institutions had suffered years of neglect.
Mbah emphasized that the committee, set up by the National Economic Council, was tasked with restoring professionalism and pride among officers who protect lives and property. He added that President Tinubu’s vision of achieving a one-trillion-dollar economy within five years could only be realized in a secure and investment-friendly environment.
“The nation is currently battling several security challenges that require urgent attention to ensure peaceful coexistence and sustainable socio-economic development,” Mbah said.
He further noted that those entrusted with upholding law and order must not operate in inhumane conditions, adding that the president’s approval for the recruitment of an additional 30,000 police officers would only yield results if they were properly trained in safe and conducive environments.
The committee, constituted on October 23, comprises seven governors divided into two teams to cover the northern and southern parts of the country effectively.
On his part, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said the initiative would not only motivate officers of the Nigeria Police Force but also demonstrated the foresight of President Tinubu’s administration in repositioning the security sector.
He noted that competent engineers and consultants had been engaged to ensure the final report was comprehensive and aligned with the president’s vision of achieving a trillion-dollar economy within five years.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Police College, Ikeja, AIG Omolola Oloruntola, highlighted several challenges affecting the institution’s performance, including inadequate infrastructure and poor welfare conditions.
She noted that the college lacked sufficient hostels, water supply, dining halls, conference rooms, and sporting facilities beyond football, stressing that necessary incentives to motivate and boost staff morale were also lacking.
The Police College, established in 1936, began training cadets in 1939 and has remained one of Nigeria’s foremost security training institutions.
Also present during the inspection were the former Inspector-General of Police and Secretary of the Presidential Committee, Alhaji Usman Baba Alkali; the AIG in charge of the Special Protection Unit, Tunji Disu; and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh.
