My govt will secure Nigeria despite challenges – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday reaffirmed his administration’s determination to secure Nigeria despite the current challenges in the country.

The President, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this at the handover of security equipment to the Lagos State Police Command by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

President paid a one-day official visit to Lagos on Thursday.

Buhari said the government has commenced the recruitment of 10,000 new police officers in a bid to tackle the security challenges in many parts of the country.

He said: “As Commander-in-Chief, my primary responsibility remains the security of the country and the safety of all citizens.

“Despite the many challenges we are facing, I want Nigerians to rest assured that we will secure this country.

“We will secure our infrastructure, our highways, our communities, and our forests, and we will secure the lives of our people.

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‘‘We are currently recruiting 10,000 new police officers to reinforce our personnel capacity across the country.

“In addition to this, I have directed the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to carry out an upward review of police salaries and benefits.”

According to him, no government in the country since 1999 has shown enough commitment as the current administration in reforming and repositioning the Nigeria Police Force and national policing architecture.

The President added: ‘‘In 2019, I signed into law the Act establishing the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, the first in the history of the Force, to provide guaranteed funding to support police welfare, logistics, and equipment.

‘‘In September 2020, I assented to the Bill amending the Nigeria Police Act, which was originally enacted in 1943.

‘‘This new Act, a vast improvement over the old one, among other things spells out the modalities for the implementation of a National Community Policing Scheme in Nigeria.

“This will restore confidence within local communities and enable them to become active stakeholders in the safety and security of their environment.”

Buhari reminded criminals that his directive to security agencies to shoot any person or persons found illegally wielding AK-47s and other assault weapons stands.

He warned that any nation that turns its police personnel and infrastructure into targets of violence and destruction is on the path of self-destruction.

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