AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY IGP SOLOMON E. ARASE, fdc, NPM, THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE CEREMONIAL PARADE MARKING THE 2016 POLICE WEEK CELEBRATIONS ON 1STAPRIL, 2016 AT THE EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA

 

Protocol

On behalf of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, I feel proud to most warmly welcome the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation to this epoch-making ceremonial Parade which acts as a pleasant climax to the 2016 edition of the Nigeria Police Week Celebrations.

  1. My sense of pride stems from the fact that with the blessing of the Almighty God and support of my lieutenants, under my stewardship as the Inspector-General of Policethe Nigeria Police Week tradition has been sustained.
  2. Mr President, Sir, the Police Week was designed to commemorate the unification of the Northern and Southern Nigeria Constabularies which was undertaken by the colonial government on 1st April, 1930 to form what is now known today as the Nigeria Police Force.
  3. The Week provides an annual opportunity for the Nigeria Police to remember its history, and undertake institutional self - appraisal for purpose of celebrating our achievements, dissecting our challenges and projecting into the future in a manner that will enhance our performance and guarantee quality service delivery within an increasingly complex and demanding national and international security space.
  4. President, Commander-in-Chief, Sir, in addition to these strategic justifications for the celebration of police week, the long-term intention is to commence the process of restoring the lost glory of the Force and re-enact those practices which bind the citizens to their police and which elicit fond memories of the Force.
  5. Many here would recall with great nostalgia the good old days of Police Week when police stations were thrown open for members of the public to walk into and interact with their policemen and officers; when police commanders and smartly dressed police women would proudly interact with the youth community and security stakeholders in the society; and when the expertise of the Force would be showcased in form of demonstrations by versatile police motorcycle riders, proud and smartly turned out officers and men on ceremonial parade, and breath-taking demonstrations by police dogs.
  6. By today's grand event the Force leadership is giving practical meaning to its firm determination to restore the lost glory of the Force and re-enact those practices which bind the citizens to their police and elicit fond memories of the Force
  7. The dedication of a number of days, and packaging of strings of events to commemorate Police Week is a standard practice among police agencies across the world. Such events are usually capped with a Ceremonial Parade during which deserving police officers who have demonstrated exceptional courage and professional excellence in their line of duty are recognized and honoured. Honours are also extended to officers who, in their commitment to their sacred functions of protection of lives and property have laid down their own lives for others to live.
  8. In essence, the Police Week is a celebration of our history as well as an opportunity for the Force to reconnect with the people for a more Effective Policing. The essence is to remind police officers that their efficiency rests solely on their knowledge of history and the extent to which they can bond with the people whom they are paid, trained and directed to serve and protect.
  9. Inversely, on a day like this, the people also need to be reminded of the need to accept the fundamental fact that no matter the level of private security contraption sewn around themselves, they still need to remember and appreciate that there exists a body of men and women whom they can trust and rely upon to protect them and the public space.

11.Hence, while appreciating the challenges of the Force over the years, the 2016 edition of Nigeria Police Week Celebration is designed to break from the past and commence a new beginning that will treat the members of public as respect-deserving customers who must always be kings in our policing world as we guide our relatively nascent democratic culture into sustainable heights.

  1. The journey we have embarked upon may appear slow, and seemingly tenuous, but we must be courageous enough to commence the process of bridging the policing gaps in our dear country by not only taking advantage of a day like this to undertake institutional soul searching, but to reinvigorate the process of applying international best policing practices which emphasise community-led, technology-driven, Rule of Law-guided, and intelligence-propelled policing virtues in our policing activities in Nigeria.