U.S. to help train police fight terrorism

United States  yesterday disclosed its intention to help train officers of the Nigerian Police on how to combat terrorism and other violent crimes.

The Ambassador of United States of America to Nigeria Ms. Robin Sander, disclosed this when she led five members of the U.S Commission on International Religious Freedom on a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo.

Speaking on the occasion, she expressed the desire of her government to assist the Nigerian Police Force in the training of its personnel in community policing and combat training to contain civil disturbances experienced in certain parts of the country in recent times.

Sanders told the IGP that the US government was "ready to provide equipment/logistics as a way of supporting the Force in combating crime in Nigeria" .

Though she did not give details and the form the assistance would look like, she however said that her home governemnt was unhappy with the level of sensless killings in parts of the country, particularly the north, where she said Nigeria witnessed more violent crimes.

Expressing serious worry with the development, Sanders said she would personally do all within her capacity to bring in other forms of assitance to the police, stressing that effective policing remains one of the core ingredients of democracy.

In his response, Onovo expressed his appreciation to the Ambassador for finding time to visit him in spite of her tight schedules.

Onovo, told the US envoy of the willingness of the Police and the country as a whole to collaborate with the US government in any area of training which is aimed at building the capacity of the officers and men of the Nigerian Police with a view to advancing proactive policing.

He said that with the deep interest shown by US in the areas of crime prevention and control, it will equally help to protect investments by US citizens in the country.

The London Metropolitan Police was the first to offer assistance to the Nigerian Police and had also trained some of its personnel in community Policing, though the policy seem not to be working in the country due to corruption in the force.

Champion

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