Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector-general of police, has revealed the he was given an order by President Muhmmadu Buhari to work with traditional rulers to implement community policing across Nigeria.
The IGP stated this while speaking at a meeting of the forum of northern traditional rulers in Kaduna on Tuesday as they discussed critical security issues.
Adamu said:
“The President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari has directed me to immediately implement community policing strategy across the country; this is a structure, which will enable traditional rulers to maintain an effective cultural and social control over their subjects.”
He then revealed that the community policing model envisaged for the country would involve the establishment and utilisation of the special constables, as provided for in Section 50 (1) of the Police Act Cap P19 LFN 2004.
Furthermore, the IGP explained that the special constables model, mirrored after the police community support officers standard in the United Kingdom policing architecture, would be tailored to align with the existing traditional security structure in the northern part of Nigeria.
In his words:
“The Special Constables will be drawn from members of the community to serve as voluntary community police officers under the coordination of the Nigeria Police Force.”
“This new drive is in line with the expressed desire and directives of the President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.”