Tinubu declares April 7 National Police Day
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has doled out N27 million to families of seven police personnel killed inside Ugheli forest in Delta State on February 20, 2024.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has declared April 7 every year as National Police Day and the first week of April as Police Week. Akpabio, while making the presentation of the posthumous awards on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), announced that he would support each of the families with one million naira to pay their way back home, while the Senate as an institution committed to supporting the families of the deceased with N20 million.
Akpabio made the pledge at the maiden edition of the Nigeria Police Awards and Commendations ceremony, on Monday, evening in Abuja. In addition to the awards given on various aspects of policing, posthumous awards were also given in recognition of the fallen heroes, as Akpabio pledged the full cooperation and support of the National Assembly for better policing in Nigeria.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor told the audience, which included Vice President Kashim Shettima: “As the leader of the National Assembly, I pledge our full cooperation and support for better policing of Nigeria.
“We recognise the importance of a well-equipped and motivated police force in ensuring the security and well-being of our citizens. We will continue to work tirelessly to provide the necessary legislative framework and resources to enable the police to carry out their duties effectively.”
He commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire leadership of the force for organising the event and urged them to use the occasion to celebrate the achievements of the police.
Akpabio said: “Let us not ignore the challenges faced by the police in Nigeria. The ever-evolving landscape of crime and the increasing sophistication of criminal gangs pose significant obstacles.
“As we honour the good officers, let us weed out the bad ones because a chain is as strong as its weakest link. We must address these issues and work together to find solutions.”
Representatives of the families of the deceased received the awards as well as cheques for their entitlements. Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, also announced a donation of N20 million to support the families of the deceased.
Shettima commended Akpabio and Yusuf for their “show of empathy” to the affected families.
The President’s declaration of police day and week was made known by the Shettima, who explained that the Federal Government approved to honour the force “in the life of this great nation”.
Tinubu described a complete overhaul of the institutional mentality and memory of police officers as fundamental to his administration’s ongoing bid to transform the force into a modern, professional, and accountable institution.
He stressed the need to engage men and women of the force in training and capacity-building to equip them with the requisite expertise to carry out the arduous task of modern policing.
“This will ensure that police officers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, values, and expertise required to tackle the complex challenges of modern policing, and the government would upgrade equipment and technology to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency of the force. This includes acquiring fit-for-purpose equipment, weapons, ammunition, and Armoured Personnel Carriers to provide cover and protection for officers in combat situations.”
