The Federal Government has
decided that the Nigeria Police Force will now takeover from the military in
the ongoing internal security operations in various parts of the country by the
first quarter of next year.
The police has the primary
responsibility of providing internal security and will assume its duties fully
in such areas from next year.
Consequently, the military will
pull out from ongoing internal security operations in various parts of the
country.
This was part of the decisions
reached yesterday when President Buhari presided over the Security Council
meeting with Security chiefs and stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,
on Monday.
The Security Council, however,
said that the military would first conduct a threat assessment to determine the
specific areas where the troop withdrawal would cover.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice
Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, gave the details shortly after the meeting while
addressing State House correspondents.
He said that the withdrawal will
allow the military to focus on its primary duty of defending the nation against
external aggression and respond adequately to emerging threats.
According to him, “You will recall
that the various operations in the country in the North-East, North-West,
North-Central, the South-East as well as the South-West where all members of
the Armed Forces are taking part as well as the intelligence agencies, have
ensured that we all enjoyed a better holiday period that has just been
observed.
“We also recall that in those
areas where the military has been able to achieve the desired objectives, from
the first quarter of next year, the civil authorities will be preparing to take
back those responsibilities as the military draws back its forces from those
areas to enable it to focus its attention on other emerging threats and areas
of concern.
“Basically, most of the internal
security challenges that we have are supposed to be the responsibility of the
civil authorities, the police in particular.
“However, so long as Nigeria is
not engaged in war outside, it means whatever internal crisis that we have the
responsibility rests with the police.
“In the circumstances that the
military has to come in to stabilise the situation, it is only proper that once
one area has been dominated by the military and the situation has returned to
normal, that the Nigeria Police takes over the responsibility.
“And in this instance, we also
have the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, which is supposed to support
the police in this regard.
“You will recall also that Mr
President recently approved the recruitment of about 10,000 Nigerians into the
Nigeria Police Force, hoping that once these Nigerians get the appropriate
training, they will be in the position to fill the gaps.
“You are aware that Nigeria is
such a big country that we cannot tie down the military even in those areas
that the deliverables have been achieved and the objectives achieved..
“I think I better make it very
clear that an assessment of what the military will do will be based on the
situation on the ground. It is not expected that the military will withdraw
when it is apparent that there is still some threats in such locations.
“I am sure we are also aware that
the nation is procuring equipment for the military. It is expected that before
the second quarter of next year, most of the equipment shall be in place. It
therefore means that all our hands are put on the ground looking at the
technology-backed surveillance that will enable the military to react more
efficiently and effectively.
“With that, it is also believed
that the Nigeria Police will take the lead in containing security in such areas
that must have been assessed to be in the right place to sustain. I don’t
believe that a responsible military will want to withdraw when it is apparent
that there is still risk that cannot be overcome by the police.”
