By Gowon Emakpe
In preparation for the 2023 general election, the Nigerian Police has acquired 530 operational vehicles, 2,500 bullet-proof vests/armoured plates, and 93, 58 long and short range teargas for civil disorder.
Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, made this known at the official launch of the Police Specialised Services Automation Project, POSSAP at the Force Headquarters in Abuja Thursday.
Baba said the meeting was aimed at interfacing with field commanders in evaluating the current political trends, assess possible threats, and commence the groundworks for the upcoming off-season gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States as well as sharpen our strategies ahead of the 2023 general elections
According to him 283 of the operational vehicles were procured within the Nigeria Police budgetary provisions by the Force leadership, while 200 were procured through the intervention of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.
Also he said 31 additional vehicles were acquired by the Ministry of Police Affairs for the Force, while16 others were donated to the Force by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority for the purpose of enhancing our operations along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Aside these, we have also procured 2,500 bullet-proof vests/armoured plates and 93, 58 long and short range teargas for civil disorder management.
“All these assets have been distributed to Police Commands/formations and are currently being deployed to strengthen our on-going special Anti-Banditry and Violent Crimes Operations across the country.
“Since the beginning of this year, we have been strengthening our logistics and operational capacity through the procurement and deployment of five hundred and thirty 530 purpose-built operational vehicles including armoured personnel carriers APCs and patrol vans”, he said.
He added that, with regards to the security challenges along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, I wish to use this opportunity to re-assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Police are collaborating effectively with the Military, Department of State Services, the Ministry of Transport, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation towards evolving a resilient security architecture that will address the current threats on a sustainable basis.
“In the interim, aside up scaling our patrol operations along the highway, we have deployed our air assets for aerial surveillance in support of the ground police teams.
“In addition, we have re-invigorated the ‘Operation Safer Highway’ with the injection of more patrol vehicles and personnel across the country.”
“We have similarly strengthened ‘Operation Restore Peace’, the Special Anti-Secessionist Operation in the South East with the deployment of more special operational Units and assets of the Force”, he added.
