Author: Olukayode Babalola

The Minister of States for Police Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stated this during a citizens town hall engagement on strengthening community policing in Nigeria on Wednesday in Lafia.

The theme of the town hall engagement is, Community Policing: Building a Safer Nigeria Together.

She pointed out that the town hall engagements across the country would catalyse grassroots understanding of security dynamics and foster community-specific solutions.

The minister stated that security is inherently local, and people’s approach must reflect an appreciation for each community’s distinct characteristics, challenges, and strengths.

“Security is local, and must acknowledge and embrace the unique dynamics of each community in our pursuit of a safer nation.

“Today’s town hall is a reflection of the significant shift in our approach to policing. As you may be aware, Section 14(2)(b) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 puts the security and welfare of our people as the government’s priority, ” she said.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that President Bola Tinubu has placed security at the centre of the administration’s eight(8) priorities, and they  have commenced the implementation of the Renewed Hope Police Agenda, which will ensure that the police force is strategically positioned to fulfill its mandate.

According to her, at the heart of this Renewed Hope Police Agenda is the implementation of a community policing strategy that is designed based on local peculiarities and considerations, with the full participation of members of the various communities and stakeholder blocks, to ensure inclusivity and full ownership.

She noted that the  substantial miner deposits Nasarawa State that attracted both local and international attention, its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the attendant socio-economic opportunities had increased the security burden on the state.

The minister reiterated that the Renewed Hope Police Agenda for Nasarawa State, therefore, seeks to build on local efforts while supporting the existing collaborations that have made the state a shining example of effective security measures within the North Central region.

She outlined the six foundational pillars that serve as strategic frameworks designed to redefine and strengthen the Nigeria Police Force, which include  Technical and Operational Excellence: Infrastructure Advancement: Welfare Enhancement: Policy Framework Development and Re-branding, Strategic Communication, and Public Trust Management.

Also speaking, Alh. Mogaji Olaniyan, the National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), represented by the National Vice Chairman, Don Kenneth Otuonunyo, said that police were the main focus in policing and that security revolved around them.

He noted that there was a wide gap between Nigeria Police Force and the society, making policing difficult in the country.

He maintained that the community must be ready to collaborate with the police by availing them with  information that would enhance their performance in the country.

“Police work 24 hours every day without a break and they need support and encouragement to succeed,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state lauded the Minster of State for Police Affairs for her dedication and leadership in driving the critical reform aimed at transforming policing in Nigeria.

He said that the town hall would provide the state government with a crucial platform to explore new ideas, gather valuable insights and strengthen the state’s collective approach to ensuring the safety and security of the state.

“We are confident that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and his renewed policing strategy, we will see enhanced collaboration, innovative solutions and a stronger commitment to addressing our security challenges in Nigeria,” he said.

He urged the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to support the Renewed Hope Police Agenda to achieve its objectives.

In his welcome remarks, the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Deputy Inspector General, Intelligence, DIG Dasuki Galadachi, revealed that his in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) had approved the Crime Data Analysis and mapping survey in all the local government areas in the country.

He said that the data analysis would determine the strategy to be deploy to tackle security challenges in each local government area of the country. (NAN)

OB/ IU

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Edited by Isaac Ukpoju

Group trains 100 community farmers on agroecology

Agroecology
By Olukayode Babalola
Keffi (Nasarawa State) June 13, 2024 (NAN) Health Of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it has trained at least 100 community farmers in 15 states on agroecology.

The group said that the gesture was part of its efforts to encourage farmers to adopt organic farming methods.

The group’s Programme Manager for Communities and Culture, Mr Cadmus Enade, disclosed this to newsmen on the sideline of a one-day agroecology practical training in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the training is, “Solving the food and climate crisis: Practical training on agroecology.”

According to Enade, agroecology is a farming system in line with nature, promotes food sovereignty and sufficiency and safer than Generically Modified Organisms (GMOs) system of farming.

“We have overtime discovered that GMO is harmful to people’s health and wellbeing, the environment, animals and biodiversity around.

“So, this training is for community farmers on how best they can use agroecology practices to enhance their food production and livelihood.

”This is because agroecology is not just a practice but also a scientific way of producing safe food and making it sufficient for farmers.

“It involves using organic produce, organic items that you can find around your environment.

“It also means producing crops without any form of chemical involvement.

”With this, we are encouraging local farming systems,” Enade said.

He further said that the method helps climate change adaptations, adding that, in spite of government’s approval of some genetically modified crops and seeds, the introduction of GMOs had resulted in the increase in ailments and diseases.

“We have also seen biodiversity losses as a result of people using genetically modified seeds in their farms.

“As we speak, we have genetically modified foods in our food shelves in Nigeria today.

“So, we are begging the government to go back to the drawing board and take a closer look at what they introduced into the country, the kind of seeds they approved and gave to farmers to plant,” Enade said.

He urged farmers to come together and put their seeds together in a natural seeds bank that would protect their seed variety.

He said that aside rural farmers from the state, other participants were drawn from Kano, Kwara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi and Oyo States, among others.

Also speaking in an interview, the National Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Dr Yunusa Halidu, described the training as apt and timely

Halidu gave assurance that the knowledge acquired from the training would be cascaded to rural farmers.

“Conventional and traditional way of farming is the way to go.

“It is using local way of farming, preserving your feeds, instead of using chemical fertilisers.

”You can use your local fertiliser, like the cow dungs, poultry dungs and other things that you can use to conserve your environment,” he said.

Also, a representative of Farmers’ Development Union in Kwara, Mrs Funke Ojomu, described the training  as helpful.

Ojomu promised to step down the training to members of the union back in Kwara.

According to her, the practical session exposed the advantages of organic fertiliser over its chemical-based substitutes.

She said that she had resolved to start putting into practice agroecology in her farm. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

OB/DE/USO
Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Sam Oditah