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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has solicited financial and logistical support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for the smooth take-off of the newly established Police Academy in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The IGP made the appeal during a visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the new Police Academy would provide advanced training opportunities for officers to acquire specialised knowledge in forensic investigation, artificial intelligence, drone technology, data analytics, criminology and other emerging digital skills required for 21st-century policing.
“You cannot achieve effective policing without strong forensic departments and well-trained forensic officers. We need criminologists. Crimes are happening and we need to understand why they happen. Policing has gone beyond stereotypes. We want to be scientific,” he said.
The IGP recalled how officers at the academy once wrongly profiled individuals as criminals based solely on their appearance during a training exercise, only to later discover that they were doctors, scientists and other professionals.
“We profiled them simply by their faces. That is why we need education to overcome this kind of thinking. We can predict crimes. Towards the end of the year, we usually notice increases in fraud, accidents and other crimes. These are analytical and research-driven issues,” he added.
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He appealed for sustained TETFund intervention in the provision of lecture theatres, laboratories, ICT facilities, student hostels, libraries and research centres to ensure the successful take-off of the institution.
“The future of effective policing lies in education, innovation, professionalism and strategic partnership. There is no other police force available to us apart from the Nigerian Police Force. We may not yet meet all expectations, but it remains the institution that has helped to hold this country together,” he said.
In his response, the Executive Secretary of TETFund noted that President Bola Tinubu had already approved the establishment of the new campus and assured the police leadership that TETFund would provide intervention funds for take-off facilities and institutional development.
“We will move quickly to provide the core facilities needed for the campus to commence operations. Before you leave office at the end of your tenure, ensure that the campus attains full university status. Once it is developed into a self-sustaining institution, it will begin to enjoy regular funding from us as a matter of right, just as Wudil is currently benefiting,” he said.
Echono also pledged support for the training of academic personnel and specialised officers to address emerging security challenges driven by technology and evolving criminal networks.
“Security agencies remain among the most educated institutions in the country. Nigerian officers have consistently distinguished themselves in international peacekeeping and security assignments. The only way we can keep pace with the evolving nature of crime is through continuous training, including for serving officers.
“Technology has made policing easier in some ways and more difficult in others because criminals also have access to sophisticated tools. We must continue to train men and women who can acquire these skills and deploy them for the benefit of the country,” he said.
