From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State has tasked parents and guardians on children and youth proper upbringing to stem use of hard drugs/substances that encourage cultism and other vices.

Giwa gave the task on Tuesday during the official Re-Launch of Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) in Enugu State and Stakeholders Meeting on “Strengthening Community Partnership For Sustainable Crime Prevention”.

The state police boss noted that it was wrong for parents to abandon their critical role of moulding children’s character from home to the school or police.

He noted that the home must ensure that children are disciplined and avoid bad company; while delinquent attitudes/characters should be corrected at formative stages such as hard drugs taking habits.

The commissioner noted that POCACOV started in Enugu through the initiative of former Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ebere Amaraizu, adding that since its setting up, the state police command had sustained the POCACOV campaigns and engagements.

“As a Command, we have promoted community policing and engagements to a new height as we believe that police cannot do it alone. We need cooperation and support from all segments of the state.

“We have been in the vanguard using our social engagements to redirect misguided and drug addicted youths to make a change and contribute positively to the society and their betterment as well.

“The Command will also sustain all existing POCACOV engagements and community policing initiatives even as we believe that using emotional intelligence and non-kinetic approach can solve some issues better,” he said.

Giwa appealed to traditional rulers, youths and community leaders to encourage their youths to join the Nigeria Police as the state government had provided vehicles and other logistics for them to work with.

According to him, they will be able to further join the Nigeria Police in reforming misguided youths in the state.

The National Coordinator of POCACOV, Orvenonne Ikwen, said that POCACOV initiative was meant to deploy the non-kinetic crime fighting approach to win back misguided youths.

Ikwen said that the major cause of cultism in the community remained peer pressure and hard drugs use.

She noted that through tailored sensitisation and engagements the police would be able to check hard drug uses and negative influences in the youths.

“Our youths must be taught and oriented to pursue positive engagements that produce positive results for themselves and the large society,” she said.

Corroborating, Igwe Chinedu Nwaobodo, the Traditional Ruler of Ugwuaji Awkwunanaw Autonomous Community, said that some youths engage in situational crime, which they might not commit when guided properly or placed in a better condition.

“So, as traditional rulers we have a role to constantly engage the youths and correct perceived mistakes on time and encourage peaceful co- experience,” Nwobodo said.

The Secretary-General of Police Officers’ Wife Association, Enugu State, Adaeze Anosike, pledged the support of POWA to further expand the campaigns of POCACOV in the state.

Organisations that attended the event included: National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), NDLEA, NAPTIP and the Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation (CALMHAF) among others.

The Federal Government has unveiled a seven-week implementation roadmap for the proposed National Policing Bill, designed to provide the legal and operational framework for state police in Nigeria.

Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Monday during a briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Gbajabiamila also announced an open call for memoranda and proposals from Nigerians and stakeholders, saying submissions could be made through www.

He said the approved work programme would run from July 27 to Sept. 14, with the Executive Bill package scheduled for presentation to President Bola Tinubu on Sept. 3.

“The timetable is demanding, but it is not a shortcut. Legal drafting, policy research, data analysis and implementation modelling will proceed in parallel, with fixed review gates,” he said.

He added that the proposed legislation would address recruitment, training, funding, command structure, jurisdiction, accountability, intelligence sharing and cooperation between federal and state police institutions.

Gbajabiamila noted that although the Senate and House of Representatives approved constitutional proposals for state police, the amendment process still required approval by State Houses of Assembly.

According to him, no state police service currently exists while the Nigeria Police Force remains the constitutionally recognised policing institution.

He said the Nigerian president established the presidential working group to ensure the country was fully prepared when the constitutional process was concluded.

The chief of staff explained that the assignment includes a legal audit of policing laws, national minimum standards, state readiness certification, federal-state cooperation mechanisms and independent complaints institutions.

He also announced a multi-disciplinary Policy Advisory Committee, to be chaired by Justice Mohammed Liman, to provide policy and technical oversight for the process.

On concerns about abuse of state police powers, he said the government would balance local policing authority with strong national safeguards.

He also said no political office holder would be allowed to direct the arrest of opponents or use policing institutions for partisan purposes.

“Officers must answer to the Constitution and the law, not to personal or partisan instruction,” he emphasised.

Gbajabiamila further said that no state would commence policing operations without demonstrating readiness in recruitment, training, discipline, oversight, firearms control, data management and financial sustainability.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said minimum national standards would prevent political persecution and guarantee equal protection for Nigerians regardless of location.

Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, who is a member of the working group, described the proposed national policing bill as one of the most consequential reforms of the Tinubu administration.

He said the legislation would define federal and state police responsibilities, address funding, jurisdiction and firearms control, and provide the framework for effective state policing.

The Federal Government said the reform will strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and create a policing system better suited to Nigeria’s size, diversity and evolving security realities.

Present at the briefing were the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, Chairman, Policy Advisory Committee, Justice Abdullahi Liman; and Special Adviser to the President on Planning and Research, Nnadubem Moghalu.

From Rabiu Sanusi, Kano

The people of Jijitar community in Gabasawa Local Government Area have expressed profound appreciation to the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf for approving the construction of two blocks of four classrooms and the general renovation of Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) Jijitar.

The community conveyed its appreciation during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Education, Gwani Dr.

The delegation comprised the Village Head of Jijitar, the Chief Imam, the Principal of GGSS Jijitar, the Councillor representing Jijitar Ward, the Youth Leader, and other respected members of the community.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Principal of GGSS Jijitar said the visit was to express the community’s heartfelt gratitude to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the approval of the project. He noted that the construction of additional classrooms and the comprehensive renovation of the school would greatly enhance teaching and learning while providing a more conducive environment for students and teachers.

The Village Head of Jijitar commended the Governor for his unwavering commitment to improving education in Kano State, describing the intervention as a landmark achievement that would have a lasting positive impact on the school and the community.

As a mark of appreciation and recognition, the delegation presented Awards of Excellence to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Commissioner for Education, Gwani Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the development of education and the transformation of GGSS Jijitar.

In his remarks, the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Gwani Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, disclosed that the approved project forms part of the present administration’s commitment to strengthening educational infrastructure across the state. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s resolve to ensure the successful execution of the project for the benefit of the students and the host community.

He also expressed gratitude to the delegation for the honour and assured them that he would personally present the Governor’s award to His Excellency on behalf of the community.

He thanked the people of Jijitar for their support and confidence in the administration, reiterating that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf remains committed to providing a conducive learning environment through sustained investment in educational infrastructure across Kano State.