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Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar yesterday took over the reins of police leadership from his predecessor, Hafiz Abubakar Ringim vowing to fight the dreaded Boko Haram sect in all its ramifications.
Besides Boko Haram, Abubakar said the Nigeria Police force under him would undergo serious restructuring and declared a state of emergency on Police training institutions in the country saying the way they were presently constituted can only produce ill-equipped officers.
Addressing senior Police officers at the IG's conference room after the handing over ceremony in his office, the new IG promised to work with the DIG Parry Osayande Committee set up by the President "so that Nigeria can have the Police force it deserves, a police force that will respect the rule of law, that will be committed, and fair in the discharge of its responsibilities".
His words: "I want to assure all Nigerians that this administration under my leadership will be different from all other Police administrations. I will be a team player because I can't do it all alone. There is no Commander without troops. We have done it in other places, we demonstrated it and we are going to demonstrate it here. But take note, the police will undergo serious restructuring.
"I do not have a speech for now because I am just taking over and I want to be fully briefed about the challenges, difficulties and the task facing the Nigeria Police. I am not a new comer to it and cannot run away from the fact that I know some of them.
"I do know that we have a very challenging and uphill task and I want to assure all Nigerians that this administration will be different from any other administration because every officer and men of the police belong to the same family. We shall focus on the areas that we know the police are lacking, that is training and re- training programmes, welfare scheme and ability to detect crime.
"We shall move into every nook and corner of this country and do what is expected of us in respect of fighting crime and criminality. This administration will not tolerate any act of indiscipline or corruption and I intend to live by good example. Therefore, all officers and men will be positioned or posted based on competence and ability to perform and not based on whom you are by name".
While calling for the support of officers and men as well as the media, Abubakar said: "I need your support and I need your cooperation. We are all together and Nigeria is greater than any other group. We need dedicated and committed staff that are fair and firm in the discharge of their responsibilities because you will be asked questions in any area of irresponsibility that you display within or out of office".