...as IGP Allays fears of FCT Residence, Beefs up Security
By Sanwo Bamise & Odey Lukpata.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, has adopted both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to crack down on terrorists destabilizing the nation. This was revealed by the IGP to the top echelon of the Force while inaugurating a high-powered 21-Man Committee to review documents from the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) that could help curb terrorist activities in Nigeria.
The IGP has also beefed-up security within the FCT to dispel the fear of residents of the capital city and its environs as he deploys additional manpower and security hardware to solidify the safety and protection of lives and property of its residents, critical national assets and vulnerable facilities as well as road users plying routes in and around the FCT.
The IGP has equally charged the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations, DIG Bala Zama Senchi, to supervise and manage the deployment to ensure maximum security in the FCT, as well as surrounding states with a high risk of attacks resonating from the threats being speculated on the news, as the Force does not and will never handle any information with kid gloves.
Speaking on the high-powered 21-Man Committee, the Force SpokesPerson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi mnipr, mipra, in a press release made available to the New Dawn Newspaper, said that the committee is also vested with the responsibility to provide necessary information for the effective functioning of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in the country.
The 21-Man Committee, headed by DCP Adegbite Olaolu, is said to be a conglomeration of notable, highly dedicated and experienced Officers of the Nigeria Police Force drawn based on their professionalism and specialization, was inaugurated at the IGP Conference Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
CPS Olumuyiwa further stated that the Committee is also to provide data on Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter Financing Terrorism (CFT), and Counter-Proliferation Finance (CPF) to determine the level of the nation’s implementation of the strategic modalities emplaced to tackle insecurity and financial crimes in tandem with international best practices, and its report to be submitted within one week.
More so, CSP Olumuyiwa said that the committee is further tasked to work on twenty-two (22) terms of reference, among which are the drafting, domestication and implementation of the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) on parallel investigation and inter-agency exchange of information; provision of evidence of inter-agency collaboration on money laundering investigations, prosecutions and convictions as well as statistics and summary of cases consistent with Nigeria’s risk profile.
While restating his administration’s commitment to tackling the menace of money laundering, terrorism and proliferation of arms financing, the Inspector-General of Police enjoined members of the committee to work assiduously towards accomplishing its mandate. The IGP similarly re-assured Nigerians of better security in the country as all hands are on deck to re-strategize in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.
Security experts have lauded the approach of the IGP in tackling the incessant menace orchestrated by the enemies of Nigeria posing as terrorists to disunite the nation and thwart the effort of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Police in making the country a safe and habitable home for all.